General Counsel Placements Increased By 148% Year-Over-Year Since 2020

Hanover, MD (November 2, 2021) — Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), the world's leading legal search firm, has announced that it has seen a  148% increase in general counsel placements over the past year year over year. MLA placed 77 GCs through Q3 of 2021, compared to the 31 GCs the firm saw placed through Q3 2020 – showing an increased demand for and value placed on the position. Additionally, 40% of GCs placed by MLA through Q3 of 2021 were first-time GCs – compared to 35% during the same time period in 2020.

“As pandemic has forced many companies to rethink their business strategies from multiple perspectives, they have turned to their in-house legal departments not only as advisors on legal and compliance issues, but also as counselors with knowledge and expertise on everything from succession planning to tech investment to diversity,” said Greg Richter, Vice President of In-House Recruiting at MLA. “In particular, we’re seeing an increased demand from companies for GC candidates with an ability to think creatively and innovate around complex business challenges, as well as those with a commitment to generating real results around diversity.”

The profile of General Counsels has also become more diverse than ever before. Thirty-two GCs placed through Q3 of 2021 were female – compared to 14 in 2020, a 129% increase. Similarly, while 9 GCs placed by MLA through September of last year identified as racially diverse, that number jumped to 24 in 2021 – a 166% increase.

“The fact that 40% of our GC placements are now first-time GCs shows more openness to new ideas and perspectives by the CEO and the C-suite,” Richter said. “It’s telling that in-house leaders are not only increasingly valued among company leadership, but also that these recently-hired GCs do not necessarily need to come from a prior in-house role. As we move forward, we expect to see more GCs valued for the creative and diverse perspective they bring to the C-suite and to the organization as a whole.”