Industry standard

You might think you know what working in-house would be like – but what is the reality? Would it meet your expectations, or are you destined to be disappointed?

In June 2008 the Law Society of England & Wales published a report called Corporate counsel – a profile, containing the findings from a survey of in-house lawyers working in commerce and industry (C&I) in England & Wales. Whilst there may be some differences in Scotland – and it should be said that the C&I Group in England & Wales has criticised the report, claiming it was not consulted – the report nonetheless makes for very interesting reading about the realities of working in-house versus private practice, and how these compare with the expectations which lawyers had when they made the move in-house.

Making the move in-house

Most people move in-house to get a better work-life balance

Of the surveyed in-house C&I lawyers, 77% cited better work-life balance as one of their reasons for moving in-house from private practice; 38% cited being offered a higher salary as a reason.

Most people do not plan to go back to private practice

Similarly, 77% said that they were not likely to move back to private practice. So it seems that moving in-house is seen as a permanent move.

What is working in-house actually like?

The average salary is higher than in private practice

The average full-time salary for in-house C&I lawyers is £80,000, compared to £70,000 for associates and assistants in the largest private practice firms in England & Wales. However at a more senior level, salaried partners in private practice typically get paid more than their C&I in-house equivalents. Also the statistics suggest that you’re only likely to get better pay if you work in private practice for several years before moving in-house, and work longer hours when you get there.

Most people work longer hours than in private practice

On average, full-time in-house C&I lawyers worked 48 hours per week, compared to the 45 hours average in private practice. However part-time hours were better in-house, and the average working week in-house was considerably shorter than in the largest private practice firms.

Does moving in-house deliver on its expectations?

The survey shows that most people move in-house expecting to get a better work-life balance, but in reality end up working longer hours than in private practice. However it seems that for many in-house lawyers the expectation of getting a better salary is achieved in reality, albeit not at the very senior levels.

From my own experience I know there are many benefits to working in-house in C&I. Why else would the majority of in-house lawyers have no desire to move back to the “dark side”?! However it’s true that working in-house is not necessarily going to be what you expected. So if you’re thinking of making the move, it’s essential to think it through fully beforehand and make sure you’re doing it for realistic reasons and at the best time for your career.

Sara Scott is a qualified solicitor wording as an external risk manager in RBS Group, based in Edinburgh

Note: I would like to thank the Law Society of England & Wales for consenting to the use of the details from their report in this article.