Many law firm lawyers yearn to move in-house with a corporate law department, noting such benefits as abandoning the hassles of timesheets and eliminating the pressure to develop business. However, to successfully make this move, you must understand how the ideal in-house candidate profile differs from that for most law firms, and how best to present yourself as such a candidate in an interview.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
While lawyers at a firm typically specialize in a specific practice area, most in-house counsel are generalists, juggling anything law-related that comes their way. They handle a varied caseload where no two days are the same. This requires multitasking and legal triage skills to quickly prioritize tasks and delegate as needed. Most lawyers make the move in-house while mid-to senior-level associates, or later, having garnered solid law firm training. New law school graduates typically lack sufficient business experience and exposure to a variety of practice areas and legal tasks to immediately step into an in-house role.
