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I started straight out of law school with a software company as in house counsel. I interned for a year before I graduated and passed the bar and then they hired me on as an attorney. Stayed there five years and have had no issue transitioning to other companies as in house counsel.
Depends a lot on your area of practice, I imagine. I'm in construction law and I would never hire someone fresh out of law school into my company because they only know how to think, not how to actually be a functional construction lawyer. You need to work for 5 years so you can know the things you need to know in order to be a benefit to the company.
I interviewed for a position as a securities lawyer who manages the contract life cycle, it would be like a giant jumping compensation and responsibility I'm kind of hoping I get it but I kind of doubt it I'm 28
I spent under a year at a small firm doing nothing related to in-house practice, so essentially I did. After that, I just worked my way up from an entry-level in-house position and am now a mid-level at a different company. Got both jobs by applying online.
Yeah that's my thought as long as you have grounding in law and are willing to work I don't see how a new practice level is inaccessible
I did too! started in house right after law school. I have since switched twice now, all in house jobs with different companies, the last change was 1.5years ago, I got about 50% bump for TC.
I did. I was in a compliance role for a year when I got hired as in-house counsel by a tech company.
This too. Replace tech with Finance.
No law firm expienece. I started out in a contracts role. Switched companies but still in a contracts position then they hired me on as counsel. I have since switched to a different company as corporate counsel.
I did, granted I am in South Africa so the rules may be different here. My manager at the time was specifically looking for a recently qualified lawyer who could be trained within the company so that worked in my favour.
Loads of lawyers at my current company joined right out of uni
UK but there are plenty of similar stories within the company. It’s a big global in house team of a very large listed mining company.
Rising Star
I did
Rising Star
Just applied
Pro
I started on the legal admin side (not officially a legal job) at my company and moved into our legal group after a few years. A few people from my old group went into big law after a few years. In our legal group, there is a mix of people who spent no time at a firm to former partners. This is all in the US.
Rising Star
Me. Took a year off after law school and then went straight in house (Although I did BD guy a couple of years before taking the bar and becoming AGC for the same company)
I tried. The company I was with as an engineer while going to law school at night had an opening for my area of law and the tech I was working with. The hiring manager was thumbs up but his boss wasn’t. Said it was easier to train someone on the biz than in the legal stuff.
I went in house after <1 year in BL.
I too would like to know how you managed this. I am a little less than 2 years in at BL and wanting to make the switch.
Went in house straight after law school
Rising Star
Clerked in-house during law school and got hired there upon graduation.
The training was little to none. I had to do a substantive amount on my own after hours to develop my skills, network, etc. It turned out fine, but some days part of me regrets not having seasoned in a firm
Yeah. I joined a large tech company’s legal team as a cyber/privacy attorney with one year of small town firm experience from over 20 years ago. I was a cybersecurity guy for most of that time.
It is doable
Yup. Went straight in-house after law school. I worked at the company before I graduated so I had some relationships there.
I did. Have never worked at a firm
I’ve found that once you break into in house in any capacity it’s easier to move companies. My friends who are at law firms are having a more difficult time breaking into in house. Especially those who litigate
Technically I did! I converted from contract manager to in-house attorney once I passed the bar. I did work as an office assistant at a litigation firm prior to starting law school and left once I started school.