How to choose the right employer
Choosing the right employer. Which company should I work for?
Choosing a company to work for is one of the most important (and underestimated) decisions you’ll make as an in-house lawyer. Titles evolve and your experience will grow, but the organisation you sit inside will shape how you evolve and ultimately, how sustainable your career feels.
It’s tempting to default to surface-level elements: brand recognition, industry prestige or what looks impressive on a CV. But a successful in-house lawyer is built from the inside. The reality of the business, the culture and the people you work with matter far more than how the logo looks on LinkedIn.
So how do you decide which company is actually right for you?
Don’t discredit companies you haven’t heard of
It’s easy to overlook lesser-known businesses, especially when compared to household names or market leaders. Brand recognition doesn’t always correlate with a good in-house experience however, therefore make sure you are evaluating each opportunity without rose tinted glasses on.
Smaller or quieter companies often offer:
broader remits and earlier responsibility;
closer access to decision-makers;
faster learning curves; and
the chance to genuinely shape how legal operates.
Some of the most commercially astute in-house lawyers cut their teeth in businesses most people outside the industry would never recognise. Judge opportunities on substance, not status. Ask what the legal team actually does, how visible it is and how it’s valued.
A famous name won’t compensate for a misaligned culture or a marginalised legal function.
Look beyond “culture” as a buzzword
Every company claims to have a great culture. That word alone is meaningless unless you dig into what it actually looks like in practice.
To find a culture that suits you, ask yourself:
Do I prefer structure or autonomy?
Do I thrive in fast-paced, imperfect environments or more measured, risk-averse ones?
Do I want to be deeply embedded in the business or more of a specialist go-to adviser?
Then look for clues:
How decisions are made and communicated;
Whether legal is involved early or late;
What the process is for instructing Legal (if there is one at all)l
How mistakes are handled; and
How people speak about leadership when they think no one is listening.
Speak to people who work (or have worked) there, and don’t just base your evaluation on hiring manager feedback alone. Pay attention to energy, not just words. Culture is how it feels on a difficult day and not how it’s described on a careers page.
Understand who they work with (and against)
This is a point many in-house lawyers overlook.
As an in-house lawyer, you’ll regularly be negotiating with counterparties’ lawyers. The calibre, approach and reputation of those lawyers will affect your day-to-day experience more than you might expect. Plus, you’ll be building your network organically, which is a very powerful way to increase your future opportunities.
Ask:
Who are their typical customers, suppliers or partners?
Do they operate in highly adversarial environments or more collaborative ones?
Are they known for aggressive tactics or pragmatic negotiation?
What are the existing relationships like with key customer, supplier or partner Legal teams?
If a company consistently works against counterparties with combative legal teams, that will shape your workload, stress levels and negotiation style. Some lawyers enjoy that challenge. Others don’t. Neither is wrong, but you should know what you’re signing up for.
You should also be considering the move after this one…where could this job lead you to in the future? Who you work against now could be your interviewer later.
Assess how legal is positioned internally
Not all in-house legal teams are created equal. In some companies, legal is a trusted strategic partner. In others, it’s seen as a necessary hurdle.
Try to understand:
Who legal reports into;
Whether legal has a seat at the table for major decisions;
How often legal advice is followed (or ignored); and
Whether the team is resourced appropriately for its workload.
A role can look attractive on paper but feel deeply frustrating if legal influence is limited. Long-term satisfaction often comes from being heard, not just being busy. Try to get a gauge on this as much as possible before making your decision.
Align the company with your stage of life and career
What you need from a company will change over time. The environment that suited you five years ago may no longer be the right fit.
Be honest about what you want right now:
rapid learning or stability;
visibility or predictability;
growth opportunities or balance.
There’s no moral hierarchy here. Choosing a company that fits your current priorities is not “selling out” or “slowing down”. It’s being intentional.
The mistake is staying in an environment that no longer serves you simply because it once did. You may be lucky and find an employer that moves with you, but this is never guaranteed. Don’t fall for the trap of accepting a role hat isn’t right for you just because you don’t want to let it pass you by.
Over to you…
Choosing the right company isn’t about finding the “best” employer on paper. It’s about finding a place where you can do good work, grow in the direction you want and feel aligned with how the business operates.
Don’t be blinded by brand names. Pay attention to culture in action. Think about who you’ll be negotiating with, how legal is treated internally and whether the company fits the season of life you’re in.
Being a successful in-house lawyer is a long game. The company you choose will shape you far more than your job title. Choose with intention and trust your gut. This is your path and no-one else’s!