Sarah Clark appointed CEO as The Legal Director strengthens leadership for next phase of growth
The Legal Director has appointed Sarah Clark as Chief Executive Officer and to the Board, marking a planned evolution in the firm’s leadership as it enters a new stage of growth.
Founded in 2006 by Ed Simpson, The Legal Director was one of the first UK businesses to pioneer the fractional General Counsel model. Today, the firm supports hundreds of organisations across sectors — providing embedded, senior legal leadership that helps businesses grow with confidence.
This leadership transition comes as clients face increasing complexity, from regulation and risk to the growing influence of technology and AI. In response, TLD is reinforcing its executive leadership and governance, ensuring it continues to meet the needs of ambitious businesses in a changing legal landscape.
Sarah Clark brings a rare blend of commercial and legal experience to the CEO role. A former General Counsel with executive leadership roles in high-growth, regulated businesses — and previous board-level experience in the legal sector — Sarah joined TLD in 2024 to lead commercial strategy and client growth.
“This is a natural step in the evolution of The Legal Director,” said Clark. “The market is shifting, but our purpose remains the same. We exist to give businesses access to strategic, senior legal leadership — a real alternative to traditional private practice. My focus as CEO is on protecting what makes TLD distinctive while building a sustainable, future-ready business.”
Ed Simpson, who founded TLD nearly two decades ago, remains actively involved as Compliance Officer and continues to support key clients.
“We built TLD to offer something different — legal leadership that’s embedded in the businesses we serve,” said Simpson. “This transition strengthens that founding vision and ensures we’re well positioned for the future.”
The Legal Director’s model, team and client relationships remain unchanged. The business continues to deliver high-quality, long-term legal support through its community of senior in-house lawyers.
Need strategic legal leadership for your business? Call us on 020 3056 8538 or email info@thelegaldirector.co.uk
