How to Get an In-House Counsel Job

In-house counsel refers to the attorney who is on staff in a corporation. An in-house counsel heads up or works in a corporate legal department. This job is an alternative to working in a law firm, and often the hours are better for in-house counsel than for associates or partners in large law firms. In-house counsel may be responsible for helping a company ensure legal compliance, or for hiring and interfacing with outside counsel in the event that the company becomes involved in legal action.

Instructions

1. Become an attorney. In order to get a job as in-house counsel, you need to be a lawyer. It helps to graduate from a top law school (as ranked by the U.S. News and World Report) in order to get a job within this competitive field. To become an attorney, you need to graduate from an American Bar Association (ABA)-approved law school, which takes three years if you attend full time. You will also need to pass the bar in the state where you want to work.

2. Work for a corporate law firm. When companies hire in-house counsel, they usually hire lawyers who have already worked for a law firm and who have legal experience. This is important because law school does not really teach a person how to practice law, it just teaches how to understand law. The actual practical applications of being a lawyer--such as writing contracts, filing lawsuits, etc.--are all learned on the job. A law firm is equipped to perform this type of teaching, while a company's in-house legal department usually is not. It helps to go to work for a business or corporate law firm so you can get the right kind of experience that will be useful in a corporate legal department.

3. Establish a knowledge of employment law, product liability, and other related fields of law that will be useful to a business. Businesses have different legal needs than law firms. Businesses most often want in-house counsel who can advise them on compliance with labor and employment laws, such as EEOC (Equal Opportunity Employment Commission) and FLA (Fair Labor Act). Experience in contracts law may also be helpful.

4. Build connections and develop your resume. One of the easiest ways to get an in-house counsel job is to be hired by a corporation that works with you while you are working for a law firm. While this isn't always possible, getting your name out in the business world can help you become a prime candidate for in-house counsel jobs. Write and publish papers on relevant issues in business or corporate law, speak at functions, or otherwise do things to get your name out there and to make your resume impressive.

5. Apply for and interview for in-house counsel jobs. You will be expected to show your knowledge of the law and to have an impressive resume that makes you look like a good addition to the corporate legal team. If you do this, you will have good chance of being hired as in-house counsel.

References

• Law Crossing: In House Counsel: Life in the Corporate Wing
• Abanet: Types of Jobs
• FindLaw: 5 Qualities of Stellar In House Counsel