In-house legal department sizes can range from one to over 600 attorneys. According to the American Corporate Counsel Association, over 20 percent of in-house counsels are their clients' sole in-house practitioner; departments of 2 to 5 attorneys comprise about 38 percent; nearly 25 percent represent organizations employing 6 to 20 in-house counsel; 15 percent practice in departments of 21+ attorneys.
Life as an In-House Attorney
As everyone knows, getting an in-house position can be one of the hardest achievements for any attorney, but it can also be the most satisfying. In-house positions can mean stock options, no required billable hours, and even the possibility of a management position within an important corporation. Many in-house attorneys earn far more per year than their counterparts in major American law firms. If you are interested in an in-house position, we can help you get there.
Most in-house job seekers rely principally on job search boards, the occasional recruiter job and the hope that one of their networking contacts will have the perfect in-house position. This is one way to get an in-house position, but certainly not the most effective. Using our database, we can help you contact in-house legal departments in virtually any area of the world.
Below we have outlined several case studies. These illustrations will show you that regardless of the point you are in your career, we have the resources to help you.
CASE STUDY: Career In-House Attorney
Robert had worked in-house for over 15 years for the same company in suburban Illinois, after graduating from a second tier law school. He was in charge of litigation management and was not a traditional in-house attorney, so he believed his options were minimal.
LEGAL AUTHORITY: Solution
We would be able to put Robert's resume in front of more than 250 in-house legal departments that would be good prospects for him. We would tailor his cover letter to give him a broader appeal than simply a litigation management specialist.
CASE STUDY: Associate at a High Powered Miami Law Firm
David was a third year associate at one of the premier firms in Miami, but was aching for an in-house position in one of the Miami corporations. David had already used headhunters, but had gotten nowhere, even after putting his name out to many potential employers.
LEGAL AUTHORITY: Solution
Even though David had already used Miami recruiters to search unsuccessfully for an in-house position, we would be able to identify 50% more employers who had never seen his resume. With this added market exposure, and our expert resume and cover letter revisions, David would have a much higher chance of getting a job.
CASE STUDY: Health Care Attorney Working for a Major Hospital Chain
After four years of working for a major East Coast hospital chain, Jessica was laid off after a large HMO consolidation. Jessica had been out of law school for ten years, and she went to a third-tier law school.
LEGAL AUTHORITY: Solution
While there may only be a few options in the portion of the United States she was in, we could locate many in-house legal departments in some way involved with the health care industry. Jessica would be able to get nationwide exposure in a very specialized field.
We have heard a few legal myths about getting an in-house position. One of the biggest myths we have heard from clients was that contacting all potential employers in a given city is an ineffective way to get an in-house legal position, because networking is the only way to move in-house. This is just not true. We've outlined and debunked some of the more common myths below.
| Legal Myth | LEGAL AUTHORITY | |
| There are no in-house positions out there. | There are thousands of in-house legal departments throughout the United States. These companies are hiring attorneys on an ongoing basis. The fact is, however, that these positions are very difficult to locate and finding them often requires that you simply randomly contact a given company and apprise them of your interest. For whatever reason, this is something that very few attorneys ever do. We have the resources and the knowledge to make it happen. | |
| Legal Myth | LEGAL AUTHORITY | |
| A recruiter is the best way to find an in-house position. | Probably less than 5% of all in-house positions are filled through recruiters. In addition, in some cities there may be over 200 recruiting firms. If you are looking for an in-house position in the traditional way you will find it impossible to track down all the recruiters out there. Additionally, many recruiters demand "exclusivity" from their in-house clients meaning that the in-house client is prohibited from advertising the given position and must fill it through the recruiter only. This means that the recruiter has sole discretion to present and exclude candidates. This may be great for the recruiter and the candidate chosen to be presented; however, it is going to make it a lot more difficult for you to get the position you are seeking. |
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| Legal Myth | LEGAL AUTHORITY | |
| In-house jobs are best gotten through friends. | In some cases this is true; however, it is only true because in-house legal departments rarely have any idea of how to promote their legal positions and recruit properly. Remember, you are dealing with corporations - not law firms - and contacting these companies directly is often the only way to get your foot in the door. | |
Questions about in house attorney jobs? Contact Legal Authority at 800-283-3860 today.
