Client Spotlight: Pinnacle Holding Company
- aakintomide
- Jan 5
- 2 min read
Supporting the parent company of Kasapreko PLC, a multinational drinks manufacturer, and Capemay Properties, an iconic property development company, with their first in-house legal hire.
Pinnacle Holding Company Ltd ("Pinnacle") oversees a diverse portfolio of established and high-growth subsidiaries across beverages, manufacturing, energy and property development. Their subsidiaries operate in regulated environments, manage complex relationships, and depend heavily on brand reputation and consumer trust. As the group expands, the need for internal legal leadership became clear. In October 2025, we supported Pinnacle on the appointment of their first in-house legal counsel, who started in January 2026 as Group Chief Legal Officer — a milestone moment for the scaling group.
Hiring Your First Legal Counsel
Hiring your first in-house legal counsel is one of the most important decisions a growing business will make. It sets the tone for how risk is managed, contracts are negotiated, and key decisions are made across the organisation.
For fast-growing businesses, the need for internal legal capability often emerges quickly — but the decision is not a standard recruitment exercise and can be complex.
Hiring the wrong legal counsel can:
slow down commercial decision-making
create friction with leadership teams
increase risk through poor judgment or lack of sector experience
result in costly reliance on external lawyers
Hiring the right legal counsel, on the other hand, can:
act as a trusted adviser to leadership
reduce external legal spend
improve governance and compliance
support growth
Businesses hiring their first in-house lawyer benefit from specialist legal input throughout the process. Count & Sol supported Pinnacle through their hiring process for a Group Chief Legal Officer. Our support included working closely with senior management to:
Define the Group's Legal Needs
We assessed the legal needs of the various subsidiaries in the group and current reliance on external counsel. This ensured the role and requirements was scoped correctly.
Vet Legal Candidates Through a Qualified Legal Lens
One of the most overlooked risks when hiring a first legal counsel is who evaluates the legal expertise of the candidate. Legal capability cannot be properly assessed by non-legal interviewers alone. With extensive legal expertise, Count & Sol:
assessed technical legal competence
evaluated judgment and risk appetite
tested commercial awareness and stakeholder management skills
ensured the candidate could operate autonomously as a sole legal professional
Ensure Cultural and Structural Fit
For all businesses, cultural alignment matters. We ensured the selected candidate could:
work effectively within the business structure
support leadership without creating bottlenecks
balance governance with commercial pragmatism
grow with the business as complexity increases
The outcome was a legal hire positioned as a business partner, not a blocker.
Do Not Hire Your First Legal Counsel Alone
The wrong legal hire can cost more than external counsel, with poor legal judgment exposing the business to more risk. Having a qualified legal professional to guide you through the hiring process significantly reduces these risks. If you are considering hiring your first in-house lawyer — or are unsure whether now is the right time — please book a consultation today to discuss how Count & Sol can support you make your first legal hire with confidence.
