In-house and private practice: how do the two worlds collide?

Aug 18, 2022

Written By Helena Kudiabor

As a solicitor, you can either work within private practice in a law firm, or in-house with a corporation. This article will delve deeper into the day-to-day responsibilities of these two roles.

What is private practice work?

If you choose to do a training contract as part of your qualifying work experience, you can choose to complete it in-house or in private practice. Most students choose to work in private practice. This is when you work for a law firm that provides legal advice for a range of different clients, often within different sectors of the industries.

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What is in-house work?

Although most students choose to work in private practice, completing in-house work is also an option. In-house trainees work within the legal department of a corporation, helping the company with legal issues.

Although there are more opportunities with large, high net worth companies, a number of smaller organisations also offer in-house opportunities. Working with a small company has a number of advantages, such as having greater responsibility.

Should I do in-house or private practice work?

Neither option is better than the other, it depends on your own personal preferences. In-house lawyers require a greater depth of knowledge in one specific area. For example, if you’re working for a tech company, you’ll only have one client (the business), and thus need an in-depth understanding of technology law.

However, within private practice, you’ll need a good depth of knowledge across a range of different sectors, as you’ll be providing advice for clients with many different needs. Thus, in-house law suits someone who is interested in specialising in a specific area.

The work-life balance is also different between the two areas. While private practice solicitors typically earn more than in-house lawyers, the scope of clients means they often have to work longer hours. On the other hand, in-house lawyers have much more flexibility within their working hours, as they often work in line with the non-legal teams.

Note that this flexibility is not reflected in the job opportunities available. There are typically less roles within in-house law, and it’s often more difficult to switch between in-house teams, given the specialised knowledge you gain.

Do in-house and private practice lawyers collaborate?

Sometimes, but not often. If you’re completing a private practice training contract, some firms may allow you to spend six months within the legal team of one of their clients. This is known as a client secondment. If you’re deciding between private practice and in-house, completing such a secondment is a great way to see which one you prefer.

In-house lawyers can occasionally collaborate with private practice lawyers. For example, private practice lawyers have a better understanding of the wider legal market. If a company worked with private practice lawyers to close a deal, these lawyers can then provide general legal advice to a similar company.

In-House