Working with

Candidates

In House Legal Jobs - Advice for Candidates

The most important legal career decision you will ever make...

So you have decided to progress your legal career in-house. It's an exciting step. But it can also be a daunting one. What are your options? What is your worth in the current market? Who can you approach for straightforward impartial advice about this legal career option?

Legal recruitment is about personalities

Whether moving from one in-house counsel team to another or leaving private law practice for the first time, we understand the pressures and concerns of all our candidates considering this next step in their legal careers. That is why our unique project managed approach is designed to make the experience as smooth and as seamless as possible. So whilst a career move is an important decision to make, choosing who will represent you in that move is crucial.

Developing an In House career...

Everyone is different, requiring a bespoke personal service tailored to individual needs and expectations. Whether a senior general counsel or junior fee earner, we appreciate that your time is precious.  After all, progressing one's career often takes place against the backdrop of having to manage the responsibilities of one's current employment. Our consultants have practiced as lawyers in commerce and industry and understand the demands placed upon your time. Our service is designed to be as discreet and supportive as possible.

But that's enough about us. What about your move? Let's start by laying out some facts. Whilst it is difficult to make sweeping generalisations about what to expect once in-house, it is possible to observe certain trends.

Salaries for In House legal roles

In terms of the packages currently available to in-house lawyers, it is fair to say the general level falls short of private practice. But whilst last year market reports pointed to the widening gulf between in-house and private legal practice, the picture is by no means a bleak one. Indeed the recent Incomes Data Services, ("IDS") survey is far more upbeat about what law practitioners may expect to take home. Noting a general rise for in-house salaries of 6.8% over the past 12 months the report found that the average in-house lawyer or solicitor earns around £114,658 with the top salary coming in at around £277,000.

However, it is all too easy to confuse oneself with statistics. Pounds, shillings and pence, whilst important are often not the only driver for those thinking of a move away from private practice. Besides there are many ways in which a company, particularly a large corporation may compensate for the basic salary hit. Some in-house lawyer or counsel packages may offer other attractive incentives, such as a generous car allowance, superior pension scheme or perhaps an impressive bonus, all of which soften the blow of the initial cut in basic pay.

Furthermore, the absence of time sheets and the advantages offered by some companies especially in the public sector such as flexitime means that in-house legal work is more likely to even the scales in that never ending search for the work-life balance.

In House legal jobs - Far more than a nine to five...

There are more than a few stereotypes which surround in-house roles. Whilst some private practitioners haughtily regard it as a step down from the rigours of billable hours others assume it to be fit for those a little longer in the tooth. The truth is, there is no age limit. More and more young lawyers are looking in-house to broaden their horizons and whilst the absence of time sheets and perhaps a more humane working environment often make the position of general counsel seem highly attractive, there is far more to in-house than flexitime and a ‘nine to five'.

On the contrary, depending on the industry, the challenges facing lawyers in commerce and industry are many and varied and it takes a certain type of lawyer to really flourish in the role:

Be decisive. As a lawyer giving day-to-day advice to other departments within the organisation or perhaps even reporting to the board of directors, you will be frowned upon for preferring to sit-on-the-fence. Marketing managers, HR team leaders and financial directors are often under pressure to deliver on tight deadlines of their own. The disappearance of timesheets may be greeted with a heavy sigh of relief, but be aware that once out of private practice, no one will congratulate you for hours spent on a particular piece of advice.  The counsel you give must to be cogent, concise and quick.

Make an effort to understand the business in which you operate. Get out of your office and onto the factory floor. Understand what the departments you serve are trying to achieve. The more you endeavour to establish clear lines of communication with the various parts of the business, the more likely you are to be involved at an early stage of a process.

Put things into plain English. Although a skill which all lawyers should endeavour to develop, this particular attribute is crucial when advising your commercial colleagues. Few will thank you for a compliance report or contract review made opaque due to complex legalese, no matter how thorough.

Be prepared to dip your toes into other disciplines. This is especially relevant for sole in-house counsel, where you may be required to advise on areas which do not fall precisely within your area of expertise. Private practitioners are often surprised how their breadth of knowledge widens following a move into industry which forces them to venture from their comfort zone.

Future legal career? A return to private practice

But what happens should you wish to return to private law firm practice at some stage in your career? One of the main concerns about moving in-house is that it can narrow one's career options further down the line especially if the role involves a broad knowledge of the law. There is always the risk that exposure to an excessively broad breadth of expertise whilst in-house prevents the development of enough knowledge in one particular specialism, thus making the candidate less marketable. Likewise, similar problems may occur for the member of a larger in-house team who finds themselves drafting the same documents day after day. The solution is good career management. Make sure you are fully aware what the intended role involves and re-assess your legal career path at regular intervals.

Do your due diligence before the In House interview

With all this in mind, it may be helpful to approach the interview with a number of key pre prepared questions:

1. Pay structure - does the firm operate a general company-wide salary structure? One criticism often levelled at in-house departments is that they are not placed on an individual pay scale setting them apart from the rest of the company. Check whether the solicitors in the team are on the same pay grade as everyone else in the company or whether there is a specific grade recognising their status as legal advisers.
2. Salary reviews - how often do they occur and how are they conducted? Is the company aware of the current market rate?
3. Analyse the package - Is there a bonus structure in place? Is it adhered to? Perhaps the company offers attractive share options which could produce a real return in the long term.  What are the benefits? Some companies offer numerous incentives:

   3.1 - Company car/allowance;

   3.2 - Private medical insurance;

   3.3 - Season travel tickets; and/or

   3.4 - Company product discounts.

4. Support - this will vary greatly from company to company depending on size and resources, but investigating whether the solicitors in the team receive support in terms of IT, training and supervision is crucial, especially for more junior lawyers.
5. Career progression - how does the company regard its legal team? Are they there purely to act as advisers with no real prospect of promotion or are there real opportunities to progress one's law career and develop legal expertise? Perhaps there is the possibility to advance to a more senior position within the corporation's management structure.