Deputy General Counsel

Position Summary

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, an international law firm with over 700 attorneys and approximately 1,400 total employees, seeks an experienced and collaborative licensed attorney to join its Office of the General Counsel (OGC) as Deputy General Counsel. Reporting directly to the firm’s Chief Legal Officer / General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel will work closely with attorneys and business professionals to help manage the Firm’s legal affairs, compliance, and risk management functions. The individual in this role will serve as a key advisor and strategic partner on professional responsibility, ethics, various claims-related issues, conflicts, and loss prevention.

This is a rare opportunity to play a key role in the internal legal operations of a major, growing global law firm. The Deputy General Counsel will have a direct hand in shaping firm policies, strengthening compliance infrastructure, and partnering with leadership to safeguard the firm’s reputation and operational excellence.

Representative Key Responsibilities

• Partner with the Chief Legal Officer/General Counsel (“GC”) to track, organize, and manage the firm’s legal affairs and risk management function including to assist GC with reporting to firm leadership.

• Serve as a key point of contact for questions regarding firm policies, procedures, and ethics requirements, including where appropriate to advise on professional responsibility, ethics, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and compliance matters.

• Work closely with the firm’s Conflicts/New Business Department to develop best practices and ensure consistent conflict clearance and engagement documentation (including engagement letters, conflict waivers, and outside counsel guidelines).

• Oversee conflict clearance processes and engagement documentation.

• Advise on client records retention, preservation, and transfer obligations.

• Support insurance claims reporting and help oversee annual professional liability insurance renewal including assist GC with risk audits.

• Identify regulatory and operational risks affecting the firm, report on same to the GC, and help develop in collaboration with other relevant business units plans to mitigate the same (which among other things may include addressing data security/privacy/cyber-related topics).

• Monitor developments in laws and regulations impacting professional responsibility and law firm operations (including the rapid evolution of technology and matters involving ethical use of GenAI).

• Draft, review, and maintain firm policies, procedures, and governance documents to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and professional standards.

• Support the GC in ensuring internal stakeholders are aligned with legal processes and firm governance procedures, including to develop and deliver firmwide training on ethics, compliance, and risk management.

• Collaborate across business units to resolve complex legal and risk issues.

• Promote a collaborative and inclusive culture within the Office of General Counsel, including to help manage and train other attorneys and staff in the OCG including, e.g., compliance attorneys, conflicts attorneys and professionals, etc. 

• Work with the Firm’s Professional Responsibility Committee as well as Claims Partner and Ethics Partner to promote collaboration between the PRC, the OGC, and all risk management/compliance-related functions within the Firm. 

• Support lateral integration by managing conflicts for incoming attorneys and facilitating client transitions.

• Work effectively across business units—including HR, Finance, IT, and firm management—to resolve complex legal and risk issues.

• Exhibits the highest levels of commitment to professional ethics and integrity, and to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive firm and client information. 

• Ability and interest to learn and understand developing technology in a law firm setting including GenAI as it relates to risk and compliance.

Qualifications, Skills and Abilities

• Juris Doctor from an ABA-accredited law school; active bar membership in good standing.

• 8+ years of relevant legal experience, preferably in law firm risk management or office of general counsel roles.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong knowledge of professional responsibility rules and law firm operations, and the curiosity and drive to expand areas of expertise as new issues facing large law firms continue to evolve.

• Outstanding judgment, diplomacy, and communication skills, with the ability to gain the confidence and respect of partners, associates, staff, management, and clients.

• Proven leadership and managerial ability with high emotional intelligence, cultural sensitivity, and integrity.

• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with a practical, business-oriented approach.

Qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for the position in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act.

California, New York and Washington DC Pay range for this role, with final offer amount dependent on skillset, experience, and geographic location is $325,000 - $450,000.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

If you require an accommodation in order to apply for a position, please contact us at PillsburyWorkday@pillsburylaw.com.