1. Secondments, Secondments, Secondments
The ideal window to move in‑house is typically 3–5 PQE. Beyond that range, firms often prefer candidates who already have in‑house experience, particularly because stakeholder management and understanding internal legal structures become increasingly important.
A secondment is therefore one of the most valuable assets on a CV—and often a non‑negotiable requirement for mid-level roles.
If your firm doesn't offer secondments
And you know you want to move in‑house eventually: move to a firm that does. This is one of the most concrete steps you can take to set yourself up for success.
How to secure a secondment
• Ask for it. Make your interest known early and clearly.
• Frame your reasoning well: avoid “I want to go in house.” Instead use, “I want more client exposure to build commercial judgment, relationship management skills, and BD experience.”
• Impress the client. Clients can and do request secondees—make sure you are someone they want on their team.
• Maximise face time with key clients so you’re front of mind when opportunities arise.
Where to go: VC/PE Fund > investment bank
- VC / small to mid‑cap fund = high commercial exposure + hands-on work + visibility across the business.
- Large investment bank = siloed PE team, more legally cloistered, less commercial insight.
Your secondment should give you:
• A working understanding of how a fund operates commercially
• Confidence that you actually want to move in house
• Real examples of stakeholder management
All of which translate directly to interview narratives and CV value.
2. Practice Area
Funds
Highly valued and often the most direct route into investment firm roles. There is still strong demand, though hiring cycles can be slow. Funds experience continues to attract premium compensation compared to transactional roles. We are currently seeing a massive trend for funds lawyers with Credit experience, so this might be a skillset to develop.
M&A
The key for an M&A lawyer looking to go inhouse in this sector is to have substantial sponsor side expertise and experience across the entire deal cycle. One major complaint I get from my inhouse clients is that associates within larger PE teams are too siloed at one end of a deal, and lack the broader understanding needed to lead on a transaction.
Relevant sector experience
Depends on the type of fund you are targeting. Most common categories:
- Private Equity & Credit (top demand)
- Real Estate
- Infrastructure
- Occasionally Private Wealth (but roles are rarer)
Keep an eye out for demand, the more niche expertise that fits your experience, you are more likely to be a top candidate for that role —e.g., secondaries, evergreen funds, credit.
Family offices & sovereign wealth funds
If this is your target, note that many of the best opportunities are outside the UK, often in the Middle East or Asia, where head offices are based and hiring is more frequent.
3. Soft Skills
Commerciality
A common criticism of private practice lawyers is that they are too risk averse and lacking commercial perspective. It is key to be able to do the following:
- Strike a balance between risk and reward
- Support business goals rather than just identifying legal issues
- Oversee and optimise the use of external counsel and law firm panel relations
Management Skills
In-house teams are lean. You may manage:
- External counsel
- Secondee
- Junior lawyers and paralegals
With the former two of these, there are frequent and consistent changes in personnel. Developing an agile and adaptive management style is key to help the firm get the best service from these lawyers. For the latter, strong management of junior support benefits the entire team.
Stakeholder Management
Arguably the hardest skill to demonstrate from private practice, and one that frequently trips up otherwise excellent candidates in interviews.
You must be able to communicate complex legal matters to non-lawyers, who are frequently senior individuals with limited time to read over documents or listen to lengthy explanations.
Inhouse lawyers need to be able to deliver succinct, direct, and commercial aware advice and answers to stakeholders. Taking on a solutions focused approach is also vital. Stakeholders don’t want to know the problems – they want the answers!
4. Finding and Securing the Right Role
In‑house hiring is reactive, not opportunistic. Roles appear when:
- Someone leaves
- The business identifies a gap
- A new strategy or fund requires legal support
Where to look
- LinkedIn for advertised roles (competitive, but essential to monitor)
- Your network: friends, ex‑colleagues, former secondee contacts
- Non‑lawyer contacts: people on the investment side often hear about hiring needs, let them know you are looking
- Trusted clients: discreet inquiries can go a long way
- A good recruiter: many of the best roles are never advertised, and go through specialist search firms. A good in-house recruiter will know the firm and the team, will be able to help you tailor your CV, prepare for interviews, and negotiate an offer.
Your job, once you decide to move, is to stay alert and move quickly. Keep your CV updated and ready to go.
For an initial conversation about inhouse roles and for more of the above, please reach out to Kathleen Harris at Laurence Simons.