Big Sis Briefing: From Law Firm to In-House: What Nobody Tells You

Making the move from private practice to in-house is a career shift that changes more than your email signature.

You are not just changing your employer. You are changing how you work, how you are measured and how you interact with colleagues.

It can be one of the most rewarding moves you make, but it comes with changes that catch many lawyers off guard.

1. The pace and priorities are different
In private practice your value is tied to billable hours and client demands. In-house you are measured by how well you help the business achieve its goals. You will be expected to move projects forward quickly, even if you do not have perfect information. The pace is often faster and the tolerance for lengthy legal analysis is lower.

2. You are part of the business, not an external adviser
Your advice is no longer delivered from a safe distance. You are embedded in decision-making. The leadership team will expect you to understand the commercial impact of your recommendations. This can mean taking a more pragmatic approach than you did in private practice.

3. Your stakeholders are not all lawyers
In a law firm you work with other lawyers almost all the time. In-house you will be working closely with people in finance, marketing, operations, HR and product. You will need to adjust your communication style to suit non-lawyers who want clarity and practical steps rather than legal theory.

4. You will juggle more varied work
In-house roles often require you to cover a wide range of legal and compliance areas, even those outside your previous practice area. There is rarely time to refer out every unfamiliar matter, so you will be expected to learn and adapt quickly.

5. Your success depends on relationships
In-house legal work is collaborative. Building trust with colleagues across departments will make it easier to influence decisions and be brought into conversations early. It is as important as your technical legal skills.

6. The work-life balance shift is not always what you expect
Some lawyers move in-house for better work-life balance, but it is not a guarantee. The workload can be heavy and deadlines tight. The difference is that the pressure comes from within the business, not a roster of external clients.

7. Business knowledge is essential
You will need to understand how your company makes money, its competitive environment and its strategic goals. Legal advice without this context will not meet the needs of your internal clients.

The move from private practice to in-house is a change in identity as much as it is a change in job.

The lawyers who thrive are the ones who embrace the business context, adapt their communication style and build strong relationships across the organisation.
Mel

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Are you ready to prepare for the move from private practice to in-house?
Download the New to In-House Survival Guide for practical checklists, transition tips and the key skills that make the change easier. It is the exact resource I would have killed for during my first year in house. Get your copy here.