Thinking of making the move in-house? 3 Pieces of Advice

1. Re-vamp the CV.

2. Be flexible about the roles that you consider.

3. Communicate.

1. Re-vamp the CV.

• And we don’t just mean update it. Re-model it to suit the in-house market and tailor it to the specific role. So how should you do that?
• Whilst impressive, employers are not so concerned about your billable hours and are not looking for a list of every single deal you have worked on since qualifying. They do want to know about that in-house secondment you did, however long ago, so don’t just list it but go into some detail on what the role involved. Were you working directly with the business, were you involved in commercial decision making, were you managing legal risk, and was there a real variety in your work?
• When you list the skills on your CV, think about skills that the in-house lawyer might need, such as flexibility and adaptability, good communication, listening and problem solving. Any technical and drafting skills should also be emphasized and not taken as a given.
• Include leadership and management skills but don’t over do them, unless it is required for the role. In-house legal teams are often smaller with a flatter structure and you need to show that you can slot in. There is a danger that you could come across as too ambitious and employers could worry that you might upset the apple cart. Too much emphasis on leadership could also make employers question how much of a do-er you really are. Are you ready to muck in? Are you prepared for all sorts of unusual requests to come across your desk? Or are you someone who would usually delegate?
• Remember to include all your contact details on the CV. In-house lawyers need to be accessible to the business, not difficult to get hold of.

2. Be flexible about the roles that you consider.

• So often lawyers register with us knowing exactly what they are looking for from an in-house role but end up very happy in something completely different. Try not to be too prescriptive as these days there is such a variety of in-house roles, many of which you wouldn’t have imagined. Don’t limit yourself on industry. Not all banks are the same, not all fintechs are small, and there all kinds of other financial services companies popping up.  In fact it is very rare to see a straight forward in-house lawyer position on the market. Many have elements of risk or compliance, some are quasi legal, or have a charitable or social impact focus. There are contracts, consulting, remote working and part time roles and with some kind of flexible working now the norm, you could find your options have really opened up.
• It is worth hearing about roles that you might not have previously considered, and if you are not sure go along to find out more. You don’t have to accept the job just because you went along for the interview and you really shouldn’t worry about wasting peoples time. Interviewing is a 2 way process and it is as much for you to find out about them as it is them to find out about you. You wouldn’t choose to buy something from a shop before considering what is available, and in the same way, keeping your options open to start with often helps you work out what it is that you are looking for and what kind of position will really make you happy.
• So often we have made successful placements when applicants have been very unsure to start with – and so often because it is about the people.

3. Communicate.

• Be honest and open with your recruiter. Feedback to us what you did and didn’t like about the organisation, the process and the position. The more information you can give us the more accurate we can be in helping you find the right role quickly. It also helps us feedback to the employer – if there is something that didn’t go smoothly, or has put you off, there may be something they can change, for you or the next applicant.
• If you just want to check the market or are uncertain about moving out, tell us. Let us know if you are really keen to move quickly or have certain dates you want to work to, such as around bonus time.
• Let us know your preferences if you are in more than one process – it will give us the ability to manage the situation so that you hopefully come to the end or your job hunt with more than one offer.
• Don’t go silent! It’s ok to say you are not sure, that you need more time, that you have something else that you are considering. Your honesty and professionalism will be appreciated and make you a more attractive proposition, and your recruiter will be experienced in the best way to handle these situations if you talk to them. After all, if you don’t get offered that pay rise, or take the other position, coming back after a long period of silence won’t make the best impression on your new employer.

Interview processes are moving very quickly now that the market has picked up a little and there could be real pressure on you to make decisions quickly. Hopefully with this advice – if you have a good CV, have considered all the options and have fully communicated your feedback you will be ready to make a decisive move.

Sep 2026