Jump Back
As we explained in our recent post>>>>, many solicitors are making the move in-house after only 1 or 2 years post qualification, with the “sweet spot” for such a move being 2-4 years post qualification. This can feel quite daunting, especially after spending at least 3 years in a law firm, surrounded by senior solicitors, where the messaging will naturally be to stay, work hard and progress up the ranks.
Some junior solicitors may wish to find their way in practice a little longer to gain experience and figure out whether they see themselves in practice long term. While it is important to consider all of this carefully, we recommend that you do not to take too long with this decision, because the in-house options available to you will begin to decrease after that 4 year PQE level.
NOTE: It should also be kept in mind that while the decision to move in-house might be easy for some, the move itself is not always so easy and will depend on the type of experience gained in private practice. See more on this in our previous post: Always dreamt of being an in-house commercial lawyer? Here’s our guide on how to get that role… – Barden
Here we will tease out some of the reasons people give us for wanting to work in-house, which should hopefully provide more clarity on whether you feel want to make that leap.
- I would enjoy having only one client and feeling a part of that business: Most in-house lawyers really enjoy working with the one client, getting to know the individuals involved and feeling a real part of the business rather than a removed legal advisor. Across the board, this is perceived as a positive; however, it comes with greater stakeholder management. It can be hard to hide from a client when you work in the same building…. but equally, it should be easier to explain when you have competing demands. There can also be more personalities and dynamics to navigate in an in-house role, and some solicitors report feeling less valued than they might feel if they were an external advisor, charging by the hour.
- I would like to broaden my mind into more commercial matters: The positive impact of working daily alongside accountants, engineers and/or sales teams are endless. Solicitors have been trained to think in a certain way since university, so they can learn a lot from colleagues with different training backgrounds. Every day is a school day in-house!
- I don’t want to become a partner in a law firm: Many solicitors come to this realisation, but it is important to think about why not. Is it because of the demanding route to partnership? Or is the day-to-day once making salary/equity partner not appealing? It might just be that you would not like to be a partner in the firm you are in, but maybe a different or smaller firm might suit you better. If, however, the law firm model is not for you, then you will enjoy the arguably more straightforward set-up of in-house employment.
- I would like more predictable working hours: On the whole, in-house roles tend to offer more predictable hours, but this is not the case everywhere. Some in-house roles require legal teams to work across a number of time zones, which can mean late or early meetings, or for the unlucky few, both! Where a legal team is relied on heavily by management, the lawyers might find themselves being invited to many meetings. While it is better for legal not to be siloed in a business, in-house lawyers need to carefully manage expectations on response times. Coming from private practice, where a number of firms are competing for the same clients, solicitors are conditioned to turn tasks around as fast as possible and to be available at all times. While there are always going to be very urgent matters in-house (and unfortunately for some, this is a daily occurrence), many in-house lawyers do not have quite the same pressure to “win over” their clients with speed. Generally it should be easier to manage your diary in an in-house role.
- I would like to earn well and to have access to broader benefits like share packages: Typically in-house roles will offer stronger benefits packages than law firms. Many multinationals will also offer shares too. These can really add up over time. Senior members of in-house legal teams will also earn strong base salaries, with the competitive multinationals often aiming to match those of the top tier law firms. It is however important to remember that there is, overall, a smaller number of people in very senior in-house roles, compared to the number of partners in top tier firms.
- I would like to be a General Counsel some day: Of course this is the right mindset to have when moving in-house but if having THE most senior title is very important to you, you need to consider that this can be harder to attain in-house. Most in-house legal teams are smaller and have a flatter structure than in private practice. Further, in multinationals, the corporate structure will often mean that, even the most senior person in Ireland will be reporting to someone in Europe or the US. We work with many senior in-house lawyers who have carved out a very involved role for themselves with a strong remuneration package but they do not all have the General Counsel title.
Final Thoughts
If all of this sounds good to you and you know that you wish to move in-house, then we recommend that you start watching for suitable job openings and when relevant, put yourself forward. Every in-house employer is different and there tends to be less information available to potential applicants. You will learn a lot about a role, the people and a business by meeting with them, which in turn will further inform your own career aspirations and goals.
If you would like a 1:1 career advisory chat, contact Bernardo Pina at bernardo.pina@barden.ie or Kiara Daly at kiara.daly@barden.ie.