Biglaw

Myths About The Path To In-House

There may be ways that are more common than others, but as with all things legal, the answer is often 'it depends.'

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For those of us who are in-house, we are often asked, “What’s the path?  How do I get to where you are?”

But inherent in that line of questioning is the fallacy that there is only a single path or that there is some secret formula or recipe that need only be followed for the in-house door to open.

Certainly, there may be ways that are more common than others, but as with all things legal, the answer is often “it depends.”

Myth: You Have To Know Somebody

The myth is that you absolutely have to “know somebody,” and as I have previously shared, my career path was small firm, big firm, and a cold application to in-house (I didn’t know anyone in the company). And based on all the feedback I received via email and LinkedIn messages after sharing my experience, the “cold” application path is not as uncommon as presumed. It does take accurately matching what a company is looking for (which depends on the company and hiring manager), and that matching is usually within the purview of a recruiter.

For example, my associate general counsel was looking for either an experienced employment lawyer with in-house experience or someone with at least 10 years of employment experience at a firm with a reputation for excellence in employment law, and my status as a senior associate at Littler Mendelson, the largest employment law firm at the time, fit the bill.

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It definitely makes sense that it’s probably easier to know someone at the company who is willing to vouch for you or pass along your resume, but it’s not a prerequisite. At the same time, I have to acknowledge that I know a handful of in-house counsel who were recruited in-house by their clients (with whom they obviously had great relationships).

Myth: No One Goes In-House Right Out Of Law School 

The myth is that no one gets hired in-house right out of law school. While I may agree that it is not very common, I know a handful of folks who were. One of my colleagues, who has been in-house her entire career at Toyota, started out as an intern in law school. When she graduated, she was offered a position. Likewise, I distinctly remember a law student with whom I served on the board of a bar association. She took an opportunity to intern at a local hospital’s legal department, which was initially adamant that there was no possibility of hire after law school because of lack of headcount. That summer turned into an externship during the law school year, which grew into the next summer, and despite the “lack of headcount” message, she was indeed hired after law school because of the value she brought to the legal team. I have also heard of direct-from-law-school opportunities with smaller companies.

Myth: You Have To Have Biglaw Experience

The myth is that the only way to go in-house is to have Biglaw experience. For some companies, there may be comfort in knowing that their lawyer has gone through formal training and has seen large litigation or some big deals, which is prevalent in Biglaw. It may also be about branding or the reputation of the law firm. But not all in-house lawyers have Biglaw experience (as made obvious by those who enter in-house right out of law school). One particular inspirational general counsel that comes to mind had a unique path — from serving in the U.S. Army to becoming a paralegal and an associate to the public sector (the federal government) to now serving as the GC of a public HBCU.

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While these myths emphasize that there is no single path to in-house, which may be disappointing for those who dislike the ambiguity, I anticipate that after the disappointment dissipates, all the possibilities actually give all those who want to go in-house some hope.

Meyling “Mey” Ly Ortiz is in-house at Toyota Motor North America. Her passions include mentoring, championing belonging, and a personal blog: TheMeybe.com. At home, you can find her doing her best to be a “fun” mom to a toddler and preschooler and chasing her best self on her Peloton. You can follow her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/meybe/). And you knew this was coming: her opinions are hers alone.

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