Fractional Chief Legal Counsel or General Counsel (Advisor Network)

About Arootah

Arootah is a talent solutions firm purpose-built for the alternative investment industry. We advise and we execute, covering the full talent spectrum from entry to exit across five services: Talent Acquisition, Fractional Leadership, Talent Development, Retention & Compensation, and Transition. 

Most talent firms solve one problem. Because we cover the full spectrum, we can help clients identify and solve the right one. We start with diagnosis, then deliver. 

Our team has run alternative investment firms at the highest levels as COOs, CFOs, and CCOs. That operator experience, combined with 15+ years of alternatives-specific recruiting and a network of 700+ vetted advisors across 18 functional disciplines, is what makes the advice credible and the execution reliable. We also draw on a network of 600+ coaches, deploying those with specific experience guiding senior executives in the alternatives industry. 

One industry. One talent partner. Entry to exit. 

Learn more: https://arootah.com/ 

Who We’re Looking For

Arootah is searching for experienced Chief Legal Counsel or General Counsel to consult with our highly prestigious client base.  As a consultant, you will work with our Alternative Asset Firm and Family Office clients to provide expert advice. Having previously served in this leadership role, you have specific, hands-on experience developing, implementing, and managing a full legal and regulatory program for a leading Alternative Asset Firm or Family Office.  

Core Areas of Expertise

• Serve as strategic legal advisor to the Principal/Founder, providing expert guidance on all legal and regulatory matters affecting alternative asset firms and family offices, including securities laws, corporate governance, fund structuring, and regulatory compliance.  

• Oversee regulatory compliance and securities law matters, ensuring adherence to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, Investment Company Act of 1940, Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and regulations from SEC, FINRA, NFA/CFTC, ERISA/DOL, and state securities regulators applicable to diverse alternative investment strategies.  

• Lead fund formation and structuring, drafting and negotiating formation documents including LPAs, LLC Agreements, PPMs, Subscription Agreements, Side Letters, and offering materials for private equity funds, hedge funds, private credit funds, real estate funds, venture capital funds, infrastructure funds, and other private investment vehicles.  

• Negotiate investor documentation and terms, managing side letter negotiations, most-favored-nation provisions, fee arrangements, disclosure requirements, and customized investment terms for institutional investors, pension funds, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals.  

• Draft and negotiate investment management agreements, structuring separate account arrangements for US and non-US institutional clients, including fee structures, investment guidelines, termination provisions, and regulatory representations.  

• Advise on investment transactions, providing legal guidance on private equity investments, private credit transactions, real estate acquisitions, infrastructure investments, co-investments, direct investments, secondary transactions, fund-of-funds structures, and complex deal structuring across multiple jurisdictions.  

• Manage relationships with outside counsel, coordinating with specialized legal advisors on fund formation, tax matters, ERISA compliance, international regulations, litigation, and complex transactions while managing legal budgets and ensuring cost-effectiveness.  

• Establish corporate governance frameworks, developing board procedures, committee structures, conflict of interest policies, related party transaction protocols, and ensuring proper corporate recordkeeping and entity management.  

• Review and negotiate vendor and service provider agreements, managing contracts with fund administrators, prime brokers, auditors, technology providers, and other critical service providers to protect firm interests and ensure regulatory compliance.  

• Advise on employment and labor matters, providing guidance on employment agreements, compensation structures, restrictive covenants, employee handbooks, and compliance with federal and state employment laws and regulations.  

• Monitor regulatory developments and implement changes, tracking proposed regulations, SEC guidance, no-action letters, enforcement actions, and advising leadership on implications and necessary policy or operational changes.  

• Support litigation and regulatory matters, managing discovery responses, subpoenas, regulatory examinations, investigations, and coordinating with outside litigation counsel as needed.  

• Develop legal policies and procedures, creating compliance manuals, investment guidelines, trading policies, disclosure frameworks, and other legal documentation to support firm operations and regulatory requirements.  

• Provide training and education, conducting legal and regulatory training for investment professionals, operations staff, and senior leadership on relevant laws, regulations, and firm policies.  

• Lead special projects including new fund launches, strategy expansions (e.g., adding credit, real estate, or infrastructure strategies), regulatory registrations, corporate restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, GP-led transactions, and cross-border expansion initiatives. 

What You Bring

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Law, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.    

• Candidates must have a Juris Doctor or equivalent law degree.   

• Member in good standing of the bar in one or more U.S. states   

• 12+ years of experience as Chief Legal counsel or General Counsel with a leading Hedge Fund or Family Office.  

• 8+ years of experience dealing with Federal securities laws and federal, state, and local regulations guiding financial institutions including, but not limited to, the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, Securities Exchange Act of 1933, at a Hedge Fund, Investment Management Firm, Family Office, or major law firm supporting U.S. registered investment advisers.     

• Extensive experience dealing with a variety of investment vehicles, security types, and asset classes in a number ofjurisdictions as well as with a variety of regulatory agencies both in the U.S. and abroad.    

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including via phone, email and video conference with the ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion and proven experience being the primary contact on legal and compliance-related inquiries.    

• Identify opportunities to improve existing processes and procedures and appreciate the cross section of legal and compliance to help mitigate risk.