why do you want to be an in house lawyer

The Reasons to Move In-House – An Intro

• In-House Jobs Were Likely Not In Your Mind In Law School. ...
• The Law Firm Lifestyle Can Be A Grind. ...
• Not All Law Firms Are Created Equal. ...
• Don’t Forget The Billables. ...
• In-House Jobs Often Have Better Schedules. ...
• Don’t Think In-House Counsel Jobs Are A Cakewalk. ...

Full Answer

Why do you want to be a lawyer?

Your past successes and achievements can also be very compelling reasons for pursuing a career as a lawyer.

What is it like to work in-house as a lawyer?

Working in-house can be significantly different than working at a law firm. First of all, in-house lawyers have only one client-the company they work for. That means there isn't any pressure to be a rainmaker or recruit new clients. And since your sole client pays your salary, you don't have to worry about billable hours.

What makes a good law firm for young lawyers?

A mid-size firm can offer a good combination of solid training in a variety of legal specialties, a good salary, and hands-on experience. Many large firms have training programs, either formal or informal, that will guide a young attorney's professional development.

Why don’t attorneys go in-house?

The fact is, some attorneys simply will not have the opportunity to go in-house because of the type of law they practice.

How do you answer why do you want to be a lawyer?

How to answer why you wanted to become a lawyerFocus on your strengths and skills. ... Describe a personal experience that inspired you. ... Give examples of your past success and how it motivates you. ... Relate your values and philosophy to the job. ... Discuss how you plan to contribute to the firm.

Why is in-house counsel important?

One of the advantages of in-house counsel is that you add a legal dimension to key decisions, which should improve the company's risk management profile. But what if the general counsel proves to be a slow decision-maker, or, to put it less politely, a bottleneck? That's a serious problem.

Why do companies have in-house lawyers?

Benefits of In-House Counsel Having a dedicated lawyer in-house means they're part of the team, hands-on, and proactive to provide a more urgent response than outside counsel would. As your trusted advisor, in-house counsel has interests that better align with your company's objectives.

What does it mean to be in-house counsel?

Legal Definition of house counsel : a lawyer employed by a business to work in-house on its legal matters.

What do inhouse lawyers do?

In-House Counsel – also known as Legal Counsel, In-House Legal Counsel and In-House Lawyers – are the type that carry out legal work directly for their employer, as opposed to law firm or private practice Lawyers who earn money for their firm by working on behalf of multiple clients.

How do I succeed as in-house counsel?

Attorneys applying for an in-house role and preparing for the interview.Build Relationships. ... Ensure Clarity of Expectations. ... Understand Your Role. ... Learn the Business and Its Culture. ... Reset Your Perfectionist Tendencies. ... Be Practical, Creative and Clear. ... You Are Now Part of a Larger Team.More items...•

How much do in-house lawyers make UK?

According to the ONS, in-house legal is the sixth-highest-earning profession in the country, with the average lawyer's salary reported as £80,210 a year before tax in 2016. However, pay can vary in the sector, with the bottom tenth percentile taking home £36,610 annually, while the top 75th percentile earned £94,458.

How do I prepare for a home counsel interview?

4 Tips To Prepare for In-house Legal InterviewsResearch the company thoroughly. Research and familiarize yourself with the company with whom you're interviewing. ... Find out whether the company utilizes “behavioral” interview questions. ... Familiarize Yourself with the Interviewers.Come up with questions of your own.

How many in-house lawyers are there in the US?

From1997 (the first year of comparable data from the BLS) to 2020, the number of lawyers employed in-house has increased from 34,750 to 115,770 — a 3x increase.

What is a general in-house lawyer?

An in-house lawyer is employed by a corporation. Unlike lawyers in commercial firms, who work for a variety of clients, in-house lawyers are responsible only for the legal requirements of, and can only provide legal advice to, their direct employer.

Are in-house counsel lawyers?

The role of an in-house legal counsel is not usually an adequate training ground for new or entry-level lawyers. They require the expertise and knowledge of someone who has practised law for a few years and is able to handle different legal issues of an organisation.

What is the difference between in-house counsel and General Counsel?

In-house counsel is a generic term for lawyers who practice, well, in-house. General Counsel is typically the title given to the highest ranking in-house lawyer within a legal department, and that person is usually a c-suite executive like the COO or CFO of an organization.

How to answer why you want to become a lawyer?

You can answer this question by following the steps below to highlight your strengths and make a great impression on the interviewer: 1. Focus on your strengths and skills. Give examples of your strongest skills that make you successful as a lawyer. For instance, your ability to communicate ...

What are some examples of skills that make you successful as a lawyer?

For instance, your ability to communicate persuasively, your attention to detail and your compassion towards your clients are strengths that you can have as a lawyer that make you successful at doing your job. Your pride in your skills and expertise can show the interviewer how motivated you are to succeed in the career.

What do you want to know about practicing law?

The interviewer will likely want to see that your core values and philosophy about practicing law connects with the job responsibilities and their firm's mission and values. Describe the character traits you feel you have developed as a lawyer and how these traits helped shape the values you have today. Then, relate these values to what you know about the company and the clients it serves.

What does it mean to interview for a lawyer?

Interviewing for a position as a lawyer means you'll likely encounter several different types of questions that will help the interviewer get to know you, assess your skills and compare your qualifications with what they're looking for.

Why do lawyers want to move in house?

The Law Firm Lifestyle Can Be A Grind. First and foremost, most law firm attorneys want to move in-house because they have grown weary of the law firm lifestyle. They tell me that they are working too many hours and have to be in the office too long most days. If you add a commute on top of those long hours, it can really wear you down.

Why is my view of law firms so myopic?

Your view of law firms can become very myopic and jaded because you assume that most firms operate in the same way and that culture will not vary from firm to firm. Associates frequently tell me that although they are unhappy at their firms, they will not consider going to another firm because it’s more of the same.

Do lawyers have to work long hours to move in house?

The desire to move in-house job seems to have a consistent theme – lawyers feel that they have no control over their schedules at a law firm. It is not just that they have to work long hours, but that the hours are often unpredictable.

Do in-house lawyers have more control over their schedules?

In-house lawyers who made the transition from law firms to companies when they were still associates report that they feel more control over their schedules than they did at the law firms. The one consistent response I hear from in-house attorneys is that although they may not work less than they did at law firms, they do have a more predictable work schedule. They tell me that they can make social plans ahead of time, and can usually keep those plans – something that did not happen at their law firms. At companies, in-house lawyers feel that they have a better sense of what their day is going to look like, and what is on their to-do list. For most in-house lawyers, that sense of predictability is worth any trade-off they made relative to compensation and dreams of becoming a law firm partner.

What is an in house attorney?

In-house attorneys are expected to translate the legal expertise, either their own or that of the private practice attorney, and make recommendations for solutions that make sense for the company. According to Bozek, this is one of the most rewarding parts of an in-house position.

Why do clients talk to attorneys?

The client and attorney talk only sporadically, and only when the client believes it has a crisis that is deserving of a consultation with an attorney. Because the company wants to manage its outside expenses, there are specific protocols for who the private attorney deals with at the company.

What is the difference between a private practice and an in-house attorney?

One important difference between in-house and private practice attorneys is who they work for. Private practice attorneys work for a variety of clients. This exposes them to multiple variations on particular legal issues based on client industries and goals and gives private practice attorneys a richness of experience and expertise in specific areas of law. They are contacted by the client when the client has a concern in the particular area of expertise. The client and attorney talk only sporadically, and only when the client believes it has a crisis that is deserving of a consultation with an attorney. Because the company wants to manage its outside expenses, there are specific protocols for who the private attorney deals with at the company. You are likely to work with an in-house attorney, manager, or other person designated by the company to deal with the matter. Questions about the matter will be directed through your contact. He or she will facilitate any further information gathering for you. As a result, when contacted, private practice attorneys must be responsive to the questions asked, empathetic, and efficient in handling the matter to ensure return business.

How to get an in house position?

If you are practicing, make sure you are engaged in the kinds of practice that will fit what general counsels are looking for in new hires. Consider the following tips.

How to prepare a resume for an in-house position?

Cover letter and resume suggestions. When preparing a resume for submission to an in-house position, first review the job description for the position. Corporations generally have detailed descriptions of what they expect the hire will be doing. Make sure your resume reflects that job description.

What is the difference between in-house and private practice?

Another important difference between in-house and private practice is in the nature of the engagement. In private practice, attorneys are called in on an as-needed basis. They address the issue requested and then leave. The in-house lawyer, on the other hand, is involved for the long term.

Do attorneys have multiple areas of specialty?

For instance, in smaller companies, the company is not likely to produce as much volume in any one practice area to allow singular specialization. Instead, in-house attorneys in smaller companies are generalists with multiple areas of specialty.

General questions

Many interviews begin with a series of basic questions to give the hiring manager an opportunity to learn about your work ethic and personality. These conversation-starter questions offer you the opportunity to share your talents and professional goals. Some examples of basic questions are:

Questions about experience and background

Questions about your specific skills and background will inform the employer how well your work history aligns with the role for which you are interviewing. Here are some sample questions regarding background and experience:

In-depth interview questions for in-house counsel

In-depth questions allow the hiring manager to see how well you might fit into the corporate culture and perform the specific job. These are often situational examples where you share examples of how you problem-solve, deal with conflict or handle specific workplace situations.

Interview questions with sample answers for in-house counsel

Organizations frequently use behavioral questions during interviews based on the philosophy that how you handled a situation in the past indicates how you will behave in the future if faced with a similar situation. When an interviewer asks a behavioral question, the STAR method offers a helpful framework for structuring your response.

Interview tips

These tips will help you present yourself in a confident and professional manner so you can make a great impression with the organization:

What do in-house attorneys do?

Many in-house attorneys do a little bit of everything. You may find yourself working in areas such as transaction, acquisitions and contracts. And, since many corporations have a global presence, international law may come into play, as well. In short, members of the in-house legal team tend to be generalists.

How is working in house different from working at a law firm?

Working in-house can be significantly different than working at a law firm. First of all, in-house lawyers have only one client-the company they work for. That means there isn't any pressure to be a rainmaker or recruit new clients. And since your sole client pays your salary, you don't have to worry about billable hours.

What do young lawyers learn?

Your research and writing skills will get an excellent workout. You can develop a specialty and build a client list.

Why is in-house counsel important?

But because in-house counsel is responsible for such a wide range of matters, efficiency is highly valued. According to an in-house practitioner at a Fortune 500 company, "The in-house practice is more about setting priorities and doing the best you can with the time allotted.

What does it mean when a client calls at 6:30?

According to a former law firm associate, "If a client calls at 6:30 on a Friday night and needs something by Monday, you had better cancel the plans you made for the weekend, or else ask for a huge favor from a fellow associate.".

What is the difference between a small firm and a big city firm?

At a small firm, the environment may be much different than at a large big-city firm. The practice may be more general overall and the firm may not have a formal training program. Instead, new associates are likely to have more client contact and more hands-on experience from the start.

What does it mean to have a law degree?

As your parents may have told you when encouraging you to go to law school, having a law degree means you can do much more than simply work at a law firm. Of course, working at a firm can be terrific experience. Young lawyers are exposed to many aspects of the law and may even receive mentoring from senior partners.

Is there a perfect time to transition in-house?

The reality is, there usually is no perfect time to make a transition in-house and, yes, work product will be judged in a different way. The good news is that new relationships await, and change can be good, so long as there is an understanding going in, that there will likely be a notable adjustment period. Practice Area: Most in-house roles are ...

Can an attorney go in house?

The fact is, some attorneys simply will not have the opportunity to go in-house because of the type of law they practice. Opportunity: Going into a company can change a lawyer’s career path because it can expose one to potentially significant management responsibilities, organizational charts of opportunity, compliance and regulations, ...

Is there a cap on law firms?

Compensation: With no cap at law firms, generally, it can be hard to justify moving in-house, perceiving a significant pay-cut awaits. However, when you start to add in health benefits and deferred compensation (e.g., bonuses; 401k/match; stock; equity), the annual out of pocket cost comparison and long-term benefits can weigh more positively on ...