Job Search

Sector

Specialisms


Region


Type


Salary

Moving In-house

There are many reasons for wanting to make a move in-house. For some it is a way to change their
legal career and moving away from the things they don’t enjoy, timesheets, billable hours etc. For
others it’s a more proactive move, looking to become more commercially involved in a business, in
a role that will test both their business acumen as well as technical ability. They want to become
more deeply involved in a business, facilitating deals, working with other professionals outside their
discipline, in a broader role.

What do our clients look for when recruiting an in-house lawyer?

The technical skill set still most actively sought remains non-contentious Commercial, but it is clear
there is an increasing demand for other skill sets as businesses recognise the advantages of retaining
their legal work In-house. However, there has been a marked increase in recruiting for the following
skills:

Whilst most businesses are looking for good technical expertise, our clients equally look for a
strong sense of commercial awareness, and a personality to fit culturally into a specific team and
the business generally. Their commercial teams look for solutions from their in-house lawyers, not
lengthy explanations of what they can and cannot do.

In-house lawyers need to be people who build rapport and relationships easily, who build mutual
respect and who come to be trusted by their business colleagues.

When to move in-house?

The time to make a first move in-house is a very personal choice, but for most it comes at a point
between 18 months and 5 years PQE. Our clients are increasingly keen to take on lawyers at junior
levels and grow them within their teams, making a move at 18 months more and more common.

Career development In-house

Whilst a career in Private Practice can be a well-defined, an in-house career can take several
directions. It may grow and develop through taking on further responsibility, or by managing a team
to progress to Head of Legal/General Counsel. It may equally move into a more commercial direction
and become more of a non-legal role.

In-house it is very much up to the individual to carve out the career they want.

Lifestyle In-house

One of the key advantages of working in-house is the ability to better control working hours. There
will always be times in an role where things crop up unexpectedly, but you will still be able to
maintain a social life, plan holidays and spend time with family. Many businesses are now moving to
a more flexible working arrangement, where regular working from home is not uncommon.

For many lawyers trained in Private Practice, it is often refreshing to move to a role within the law
that will challenge you and in which you will work hard, but where you can plan for busy periods,
and manage your time to allow more of a work/life balance.

Pay and Benefits

Typical benefits packages in-house tend to include:

Talk to us

Making a move in-house can be an exciting career move at any stage of your career. With specialist
in- house consultants, we are perfectly placed to help you make the right move.

Please contact us for a first confidential discussion either phone on the numbers below, or use the
contact us form on this website.

London, Home Counties and Thames Valley – +44 (0) 844 900 9626, or
South West and Wales – +44 (0) 117 985 8700

Return to Career Advice

Tools:

Download as PDF
  • Share/Bookmark