Interim General Counsel

Korn Ferry is placing an interim General Counsel with a privately held food and beverage company in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The role is a hands-on, generalist position reporting directly to the CEO with a dotted line to the Board. Onsite presence is required, with potential hybrid flexibility to be confirmed during the interview process. The initial engagement is approximately three months, with the possibility of converting to permanent employment. Candidates seeking a strictly interim arrangement will also be considered.

The attorney will serve as the sole internal legal resource, personally handling day-to-day matters across California employment law, commercial contracting, corporate governance, M&A support, litigation oversight, regulatory compliance, and legal operations improvement. Sound business judgement and the ability to work independently with limited internal support are essential.

• Advise the CEO, senior leadership, and Board on legal risks and operational matters, providing clear and practical recommendations
• Oversee HR matters including California employment and labour law, employee relations, wage and hour compliance, and workplace issues
• Draft, review, and negotiate customer and vendor agreements, including contracts with large retailers and enterprise customers
• Handle Board matters, corporate records, entity management, and related governance responsibilities
• Support M&A activity including due diligence and transaction-related legal work
• Manage litigation, claims, and disputes, coordinating external law firms and controlling legal spend
• Strengthen legal policies, contracting workflows, and processes across a lean legal department

• Substantial experience as a General Counsel or senior in-house generalist, capable of serving as the primary legal resource for a small or mid-market business
• Deep California employment and labour law expertise, including wage and hour matters, hiring, termination, and employee relations
• Strong commercial contracting background, particularly with retail or enterprise customer agreements
• Corporate governance and Board-level experience
• Proven ability to manage outside counsel, oversee litigation, and control legal spend
• Availability for a full-time, onsite engagement in Rancho Cucamonga

Korn Ferry is a global organisational consulting firm that works with clients to design structures, hire talent, and develop professionals. For this engagement, Korn Ferry is acting as the employer of record on a W2 basis, placing the successful candidate with a privately held food and beverage company in Southern California.