As I explore new opportunities, I’ve noticed that many in-house roles emphasize industry experience. While my legal skills are transferable, I sometimes wonder whether not having direct sector experience puts me at a disadvantage.

For those who have successfully transitioned into a new industry, how did you position your experience? And for hiring managers, how critical is industry-specific knowledge compared to strong legal fundamentals?

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Yes, of course all else being equal it is a disadvantage.

Common misconception about being in house is the job is to do the legal work- it isn’t.

The job is to return value to shareholders, which might be by doing legal work, but that’s the how not what. To understand how your shareholders see value it is better to have industry experience than not.

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👍

I’m in pharma and likely would not consider a candidate without pharma experience, even for a more junior role. If they had pharma or healthcare adjacent work maybe.

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Sometimes. I got into natural gas with no experience even though my position "required" it.

If the person you would be reporting to jumped industries during their career or was new to the sector when they took their current role, they will be much more likely to give you a chance. Also, if you're coming from a law firm, talk about deals/clients you've worked with that are in the same or adjacent industries to the company you are interviewing with. I work in FinTech now, but most of my industry experience prior to working at a firm was in fashion.

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I'm in cybersecurity SaaS. I would not hire someone without extensive SaaS experience, but I generally care less about the industry. So they don't have to be coming from cybersecurity, as long as they understand SaaS. I do generally prefer someone with cloud experience though since the concerns re cloud vs on prem are very different.

Underneath the veneer, not much substance. Your comments - exhibit A - D of OP.

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