Why Move In House

Some legal professionals really enjoy the technical aspects of the law and becoming a specialist in their own chosen discipline.  As their reputation grows, they accelerate though the ranks and tend to deal with more complex legal issues or legal transactions, possibly leading a small team of more junior lawyers - all ultimately striving for Partnership. The system in Private Practice is often more defined and tangible and you will often move from trainee through to assistant solicitor, associate and managing associate status.

Influence

Partnership, however is not for everyone. Some solicitors look to measure their progression and career development in terms of their increasing influence and commercial involvement. Industry potentially offers opportunities to become a part of the direction and strategy of a business, ultimately affecting its success. As you become more knowledgeable and experienced, you are likely to find your opinion is more often sought by increasing sections of the business, senior management and board members. You may not witness as many transactions as you would working in Practice, however it's likely that you will be more embedded in the ones you are involved in.

Variety

More often than not, by opting to work In House, you may have to sacrifice your legal speciality in favour of a more rounded and varied legal caseload - however the rewards can sometimes be extremely fulfilling and can often offer greater choice in your legal career. Practice is viewed by some solicitors as quite restrictive which harnesses you to your own area of specialism. This in turn restricts your freedom to "dabble" or experiment in fresh areas of Law that you may ultimately wish to go on and specialise in.

Moving In House is not all about getting away from the timesheets and billing. Some In House departments actually use "virtual" time recording, which is often used as a clear indicator of the added value and cost efficiency of an In House Legal team. Moving In House ultimately brings you closer to a specific business, makes you more knowledgeable about your individual business sector and often results in more balance and variation in your working day.  This variety brings choice and choice in turn opens up more opportunities.

Balance

Workloads, deals and transactions tend to be less sporadic In Industry and can be more easily anticipated and planned. This in turn helps minimise the disruption to a lawyer's personal life. Moreover, home working, working from satellite offices (perhaps more conveniently located) part time or reduced hours, are more common. Whilst In House does not represent an "easy-option", it offers a little more flexibility as a rule, which can sometimes be easier to balance your personal and professional life.

Can I work In House?

The skill set still most actively sought remains non-contentious Company 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. Over the last Decade, we have seen an upturn in the following skills:

• Litigation
• Employment
• Commercial Property
• Pensions
• Intellectual Property
• Data Protection

The future

It's not for everyone but most Solicitors who make the transition rarely return to Private Practice, even though they are often regarded as extremely attractive propositions should they decide to do so.

For a confidential conversation please contact Steve Shakespeare, our Industry Divisional Manager on 0113 245 3338 or email at steve.shakespeare@saccomann.com

A CAREER IN HOUSE

What can I expect?

As with different firms of Solicitors, In House Legal departments vary enormously and it's therefore a little difficult to generalise. However, as a rule your legal and commercial advice will be sought by the business and internal clients on a more varied collection of issues.

This interest in, greater knowledge of and commitment to "the business" is often the main rationale behind a solicitor or barrister's motivation to moving In House, allowing you to have more direct involvement with the business throughout the life cycle of the issue at hand.

If you enjoy the more rigid parameters and hierarchical structure which are often associated with working in Private Practice, you may not enjoy the more fluid and lesser defined nature of working In House. If however, you are driven by a strong desire to work with both legal and non-legal professionals in a commercial sense - away from being a "Black Letter Law" specialist - you will probably thrive in an In House environment.

How do I develop my career?

Clear and tangible career progression in Industry is more subtle in comparison to the hierarchical system associated with Practice. That said larger departments do require structure and management, which can create opportunity to develop.
Nevertheless, given that the majority of legal teams are relatively modest in size, an indication of progression and development can more often be measured by increasing involvement in policy decision. You can't expect to have the ear of the Chief Exec when you are only a couple of years into your career; however as your experience and business acumen grows, so too will your ability to influence corporate strategy.

Can I move back into practice?

Allowing for the fact that a small minority of lawyers do miss the Practice environment, an understandable question often asked is how your application would be viewed having made the transition and whether you can transfer back?
The short answer in many cases is - definitely. Private Practices often positively welcome candidates from Industry, working on the assumption that they can openly empathise with their prospective clients having been "on the other side". Being able to understand the issues facing a business, having had first hand experience of working In House is a fabulous marketing tool!

Salaries & Benefits

In years gone by, it was generally perceived that In House Lawyers were poorly paid in comparison to their Private Practice peers. Whilst some will argue that was not always the case, it's certainly true that nowadays the two sectors are more in harmony, especially at the lower and mid tier levels of PQE.

Alongside a competitive basic salary, a role in Industry is often accompanied by a bonus, company car, share scheme and (sometimes) "bespoke" flexible benefits. This means you sometimes chose your benefits to suit your own personal circumstances, which can actually make your package more efficient.
Admittedly, roles in Industry offering salaries north of six-figures are rarer than those in Private Practice. However dividing your "hours worked" by "salary earned" can make interesting reading and, using this formula, its often the case that Solicitors In House are relatively better paid than their Private Practice peers.