The Sterling Group · 5 hours ago
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer
Houston, TX
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
10+ years expThe Sterling Group is a private equity firm that specializes in managing investments in the industrial sector. They are seeking a General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer to oversee all legal, regulatory, and compliance matters, ensuring that the firm's operations align with best practices and integrity while managing risks across their multi-strategy platform.
Business DevelopmentBusiness Intelligence
Responsibilities
Lead all firm-level legal matters across Sterling’s private equity and credit strategies
Oversee fund formation and structuring, including coordination of LPAs, PPMs, subscription documents, and side letters
Advise on governance, partnership, and investor relations matters, ensuring strong alignment among the firm, funds, and investors
Manage ongoing legal needs related to firm operations, including employment, vendor, technology, and other commercial agreements
Serve as primary liaison with external counsel, managing quality, cost, and efficiency across engagements
Provide strategic legal counsel to the executive team, focusing on risk management and business enablement rather than transaction execution
Maintain, refine and evolve Sterling’s library of standards documents, tools and processes
Advise Partners and finance team on upper-tier documentation, including relating to governance, co-investment program, carried interest and intra-Sterling documentation
Advise firm on strategy and tactics related to material litigation and disputes at both the firm level, and material items within portfolio companies
Own and continuously enhance Sterling’s compliance program, ensuring policies and procedures are effective, practical, and consistent with the firm’s values
Prepare for and lead SEC examinations and audits; manage regulatory filings and reporting
Oversee compliance for fundraising, marketing, and investor communications, and relevant disclosures
Develop and lead internal training and monitoring programs that embed compliance in Sterling’s culture
Advise senior leadership on corporate governance, fiduciary duties, and partnership matters
Support operational and reputational risk management efforts across the platform
Ensure that firm and fund structures remain aligned with evolving regulations and investor expectations
Manage firm’s NDA counsel, including maintenance of NDA negotiation playbook and direct resolution of contentious issues
Manage firm’s insurance program, including relating to professional liability (D&O, fiduciary, EPL, crime), cyber, general liability and property and casualty. Offer advice to the firms portfolio companies on the correct approach to risk management coverage
Build and manage a high-performing legal and compliance team, currently including two other team members, scaling as the firm continues to grow
Partner closely with finance, investor relations, operations, and investment professionals to drive alignment and accountability
Foster a culture of integrity, ownership, and transparency, consistent with Sterling’s long-standing values
Qualification
Required
Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited U.S. law school; active bar membership
10–20 years of experience, including time in both a top-tier law firm and in-house at an alternative asset manager
Deep understanding of private fund formation, regulation, compliance, and governance
Demonstrated success managing legal and compliance functions for a complex, multi-strategy platform
Strong communicator who can translate complex legal concepts into practical business guidance
Collaborative leader who values partnership, humility, and continuous improvement
Company
The Sterling Group
The Sterling Group is a private equity firm that focuses on manufacturing, distribution, and industrial services.
11-50 employees
H1B Sponsorship
The Sterling Group has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (1)
2022 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageTotal Funding
$225.15MKey Investors
Stellus Capital Management
2023-08-09Private Equity
2023-08-09Debt Financing
2022-03-21Private Equity· $225.15M
Leadership Team
B
Brad Staller
Partner
Bradley Staller
Partner
Recent News
Mergers & Acquisitions
2025-11-08
Business Wire
2025-11-04
Company data provided by crunchbase