Working in-house is growing increasingly popular and recent statistics suggest that one in four solicitors work in this sector. The largest group of these Solicitors work in the corporate field, such as financial and business services; manufacturing and utilities; retail and wholesale; construction; transport and communications; or media and publishing. And other In-House Solicitors choose to work in the public sector, for the government legal service (GLS), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), local government, charities, or the armed forces.
An In-House Solicitor essentially looks after the legal needs of the business organisation they work for, and the work will vary depending on the nature of the business and the size of the legal team. As an In-House Solicitor you will provide accurate, relevant and timely advice to your employer and other members of staff, on a variety of legal topics that relate to the business sector and their products or services. You will draft, review and negotiate various commercial contracts and agreements. Manage and mitigate legal risks by designing and implementing company policies and procedures and you will also be expected to ensure compliance with all laws and regulations that apply to the business, promoting legal, compliance and risk management best practice throughout the company.
It is an essential part of the role to communicate with and manage any third-party bodies, such as external counsel or auditors. Design and deliver legal training to the business and stay up to date with changes to legislation, particularly in relation to laws, rules and regulations that directly affect the business and specific industry sector.
Most In-House Solicitors train in private practice before moving into an in-house position, with it being advisable to gain a good amount of experience in Commercial Law. There are also some training contract opportunities with businesses who are authorised to offer them, though not all of them do. Local authorities, the GLS and the CPS also offer a small number of training contracts. This is a highly competitive area and rising above the opposition is a must. To find out more on how to become a qualified solicitor please click here to view our route to qualification.
What skills are essential to becoming an In-House Solicitor?
In addition to your academic qualifications and qualifying as a solicitor, there are some essential skills which will help you to have a long and successful career as an In-House Solicitor. These include:
- Excellent client-facing and relationship building skills.
- Depending on the seniority requirements of the role, you may be asked to have a certain number of years’ experience as a commercial lawyer working in-house or in a leading firm
Sound understanding and knowledge of commercial and corporate law.
- Strong communication and presentation skills.
- Excellent negotiating and drafting skills.
- The ability to build and maintain strong professional relationships across the business.
- The ability to communicate complex legal issues and risks in terms that non-legal colleagues can understand.
- The ability to work in a highly autonomous role.
- You must know about the business – understand the way it works, its culture and processes. The key is to understand the bigger picture, so you can advise on law and strategy.
How Much Does an In-House Solicitor Earn?
Take a look at our annual Salary Survey here to gain more of an understanding of the salary you can expect to earn based on location and sector.
In-House Solicitor vacancies & how can eNL Legal Recruitment can help you?
Since 1999, eNL Legal recruitment has provided insight, guidance and support to clients and candidates to support the legal recruitment process. We are a leading, legal recruitment business able to assist you on your journey to finding a new legal position, offering a personalised, tailored, and confidential service.
Our friendly, experienced team all have a strong knowledge-based approach to matching the right candidates with the right clients and roles. Our strategic and commercial focus can be depended upon to deliver straight-forward and practical advice which will achieve positive end results.
To see a full list of our current In-House Solicitor vacancies please click here.