Dairy General Counsel Job Description

This Dairy General Counsel job description sets out the main duties, qualifications, skills and measures of success for the role, which is also known as Head of Legal, Legal Director, Chief Legal Officer or Group General Counsel. Download it free as a Word or PDF template and adapt it for your own vacancy.

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Job title	Dairy General Counsel
Also known as	Head of Legal, Legal Director, Chief Legal Officer, Group General Counsel
Department	Finance, legal and corporate
Reports to	Chief Executive, with direct access to the Chair and Board
Direct reports	Legal counsel, company secretary, paralegals and compliance staff

What does a Dairy General Counsel do?

Heads the legal function of a dairy processor, co-operative or farming group and acts as principal legal adviser to the Chief Executive, executive team and Board. Protects the business across commercial and milk supply contracts, competition law, disputes, governance and regulation, and helps it grow lawfully.

Dairy General Counsel duties and responsibilities

Legal strategy and leadership

Set legal strategy and priorities in line with the business plan
Advise the Chief Executive, executive team and Board on major legal risks and decisions
Manage the legal budget and external law firms, balancing cost and quality
Lead legal work on acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures and major investments

Commercial and milk supply contracts

Set contract standards, templates and approval limits across the business
Oversee major contracts with retail, food-service, export and ingredient customers
Oversee milk supply contracts with farmers and members, including pricing, notice and exclusivity terms
Make sure milk supply terms comply with co-operative rules and any applicable codes of practice
Lead negotiation of the most significant or high-risk contracts

Competition law and regulation

Run the competition law compliance programme, including training and unannounced inspection procedures
Advise on pricing, information sharing, collaboration and market position
Manage merger control filings for transactions
Advise on food law, labelling, environmental, trade and sanctions requirements
Lead the legal response to recalls, regulatory investigations and enforcement action

Disputes and litigation

Manage disputes with customers, suppliers, farmers, contractors and regulators
Set strategy for litigation and arbitration and instruct external counsel
Resolve disputes early through negotiation or mediation where possible
Report material claims and provisions to the Board and audit committee

Governance and compliance

Advise the Board on directors' duties, conflicts of interest and decision-making
Oversee company secretarial work, co-operative rules and member governance
Own policies on anti-bribery, whistleblowing, data protection and ethical conduct
Work with risk and internal audit to manage legal and compliance risks

Team leadership

Lead, develop and retain the legal and company secretarial team
Build legal awareness across the business through training and clear guidance
Set service standards so the business gets fast, practical advice

Dairy General Counsel qualifications and experience

Essential

Qualified lawyer admitted to practise in a relevant jurisdiction
Substantial post-qualification experience, including senior in-house experience
Broad commercial contracts expertise in manufacturing, food or consumer goods
Strong knowledge of competition law as it applies to pricing and supply
Experience of managing litigation, arbitration or regulatory investigations
Experience of advising boards and senior executives on governance
Experience of leading a legal team and managing external counsel

Desirable

Experience in dairy, agriculture or a co-operative business
Experience of food safety, labelling or environmental regulation
Experience of mergers, acquisitions or joint ventures
Experience of export, trade and sanctions law across several jurisdictions

Skills and attributes

Sound legal and commercial judgement
Board-level influence and communication
Negotiation
Risk assessment and prioritisation
Integrity and independence of view
Clear, practical drafting and advice
Team leadership

How success is measured

Material legal risks identified and reported to the Board
Contract turnaround times and compliance with approval limits
Outcome and cost of disputes against plan
Legal spend against budget, including external counsel
Number of regulatory and competition compliance incidents
Compliance training completed across the business

Working conditions and safety

Office-based, with regular travel to sites, customers and external advisers. Attends Board and committee meetings, with occasional out-of-hours work on urgent matters.

Lead by example on health, safety, food safety and animal welfare
Uphold the code of conduct and all legal and compliance requirements
Raise concerns and report incidents promptly

Dairy General Counsel interview questions

Use these questions to assess candidates for a Dairy General Counsel role. Each one includes what a good answer shows.

What are the main legal risks in milk supply contracts with farmers or members?
What a good answer shows: Covers pricing terms, notice and exclusivity, compliance with rules and codes, fairness, and the risk of disputes.
How does competition law affect a co-operative that sets a common milk price?
What a good answer shows: Understands limits on coordination and information sharing, possible agricultural exemptions, and when specialist advice is needed.
How would you shape the legal function to support growth in export markets?
What a good answer shows: Prioritises by risk, uses local counsel wisely, standardises contracts, and covers trade, sanctions and product rules.
How do you decide which work stays in-house and which goes to external counsel?
What a good answer shows: Weighs expertise, risk, volume and cost, and manages external firms against clear budgets and outcomes.
Competition authorities arrive unannounced at head office. What do you do?
What a good answer shows: Follows the response plan, cooperates within legal rights, protects privileged material and briefs the Board promptly.
A major retailer threatens to delist products over a contract dispute. How do you respond?
What a good answer shows: Assesses the legal position and commercial stakes, sets out options and seeks a negotiated settlement before litigation.
How do you advise the Board when farmer directors have a conflict of interest?
What a good answer shows: Explains directors' duties clearly, makes sure conflicts are declared and managed, and records decisions properly.
The Chief Executive wants to proceed with a deal you believe is unlawful. What do you do?
What a good answer shows: Advises clearly in writing, proposes lawful alternatives and escalates to the Chair or Board if needed.
How do you build a legal team that the business sees as practical and commercial?
What a good answer shows: Hires for judgement, sets service standards, insists on clear advice and keeps lawyers close to the business.
How do you develop and retain good lawyers in an in-house team?
What a good answer shows: Offers varied work, coaching, career paths and recognition, and delegates real responsibility.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a Dairy General Counsel do?

What qualifications does a Dairy General Counsel need?

Employers usually look for: qualified lawyer admitted to practise in a relevant jurisdiction; substantial post-qualification experience, including senior in-house experience; broad commercial contracts expertise in manufacturing, food or consumer goods.

Who does a Dairy General Counsel report to?

A Dairy General Counsel usually reports to the Chief Executive, with direct access to the Chair and Board. Direct reports typically include legal counsel, company secretary, paralegals and compliance staff.

Can I use this Dairy General Counsel job description for my own vacancy?

Yes. Download the free Word template, add your location, contract and salary details, and adapt the duties to your site. You can then advertise the role on Dairy Jobs.