Five reasons to move in-house that every Lawyer needs to know

Author Georgia Morgan-Wynne
March 12, 2020
Young caucasian man and Japanese female working on a hectic morning in a business office. They are standing with digital tablet.

The legal landscape is continuing to change and Taylor Root’s In House team are seeing higher demand than ever from businesses looking to hire in-house legal teams. So, why should you consider making the move from a traditional law firm?

Lifestyle

Lawyers are increasingly seeking work-life balance, as fun as working on completions until the early hours of the morning maybe, the demand for a sustainable and manageable workload is more common. In-house Lawyers generally have shorter working days, more control over their schedules and tend to not work weekends.

Career progression

Hard work and ability can grant you exposure to high value and complex work even at the more junior level in-house as progression is not determined solely by PQE level. With the traditional General Counsel image changing and the rise of start-ups looking to bring on their first in-house counsel early in their lifestyle, ambitious lawyers are able to rise through the ranks quickly and grasp opportunities previously unavailable in the market.

Exposure to the commercial side of a business and senior stakeholders allows Lawyers who wish to progress their career outside of the law an opportunity to develop skill sets in new areas and move into strategic or operational positions for example.

Variety of work

In-house lawyers have the opportunity to gain exposure to a wide scope of tasks and workloads. This means work is less repetitive and lawyers develop strong industry knowledge of their chosen sector and broaden their experience beyond a defined practice area in a law firm. You are also able to get involved with non-legal projects where the business is looking for commercial and logical thinkers.

The bigger picture

Working in-house allows you to see a legal matter from start to finish, navigating the company through to success which is incredibly rewarding. Those who like to look at the bigger picture, enjoy business strategy and see the results in the area they work will thrive in-house.

People-orientated

The life of an in-house Lawyer is sociable. As part of your role, you are trusted to communicate with the wider business and are a respected advisor within the team. You will work with all business functions and a range of stakeholders, translating ‘legal jargon’ and advising based on your understanding of the strategic business objectives.

For recent hiring trends, view our UK in-house legal market update or download the latest Global In-House Legal Market Report.

Taylor Root’s in-house team operates across industry sectors specialising in legal hires from newly qualified to General Counsel level.

If you are interested in hearing about opportunities in the in-house market, please email me at [email protected] or call +44 20 7332 2482.

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