In the July 2017 Gazette, Richard O'Sullivan shares advice on working as an in-house solicitor.
A 2016 poll conducted for the Law Society revealed that nearly 20% of the solicitors' profession are working in-house or in the public sector. More than ever before, the Law Society is recognising and supporting the unique requirements of in-house lawyers.
A ‘specialist generalist’
In-house legal can be a very rewarding career, writes Richard O'Sullivan, General Counsel at Global Shares. As a lawyer in a commercial law firm, you are likely to be a specialist, or even a micro-specialist, in one area of law. As a general practitioner, you have to spread yourself across many different areas, from probate and conveyancing to litigation.
As an in-house lawyer, O’Sullivan says, you become somewhat of a ‘specialist generalist’. While you will often have an in-depth knowledge of a small number of areas (for example IP, data protection, and contracts), you will also be expected to know enough about most other areas of law to, at least, spot legal issues and provide some preliminary advice.
Navigating a unique role
This is just one of several practical differences between in-house and private practice. Having worked as an in-house lawyer for nearly half of his professional career, O’Sullivan is well-poised to comment on these differences. He offers valuable advice to practitioners considering a career in the public sector or corporate practice.
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