As a legal recruiter specializing in finding lawyers for corporate legal departments, I have found that one qualification top management often insists on in hiring a general counsel is prior general counsel experience preferably in a company of comparable size in their industry.
This requirement makes sense. Hiring a GC from the same industry means the candidate is accustomed to handling problems similar to those he will soon face in the new company. It reduces the GC’s learning curve and minimizes the risk of a failed hire.
