Working as an in-house paralegal: is this a good entry point to becoming an in-house lawyer?

Nov 03, 2022

Written By Isabella Rzym

The age-old question in the legal world about whether it is better to train in-house or with a commercial law firm remains important for aspiring lawyers. It is a key concern as it forces an individual to weigh up what they may or may not learn from working in-house versus training in a commercial law firm, and vice versa.

Why working as an in-house paralegal is advantageous to becoming an in-house lawyer

Working as an in-house paralegal provides an individual with an extensive understanding of the business they are working in. For example, if you are working for a company in the technology, media, and telecom (“TMT”) space, then you are more likely to be clued up on the intricacies, systems and processes, and issues a TMT lawyer and legal team are aware of.

This is advantageous to becoming an in-house lawyer as an in-house paralegal will understand the dynamics, business, and politics of working in-house more strongly than a paralegal who may not have the same breadth of business experience.

In-house legal experience provides an individual with a business and company-oriented perspective on how the law is applied practically in a real-world environment. Similarly, as an in-house paralegal, you will not be driven by billable hours and will likely understand that your relationship with your client is more equal, as you are not dependent on them for your income.

This does not negate the fact that as an in-house paralegal, you may face pressure from different parts of the business, which brings its own stresses. Simultaneously, this presents an opportunity to develop strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Working as an in-house lawyer means that you exclusively work to support your company, working closely with teams such as finance, sales, supply chain, procurement, and project management. Experiencing this kind of cross-departmental work as an in-house paralegal would be advantageous to becoming an in-house lawyer and provides vital insight into an in-house lawyer’s day-to-day work.

As we have explored, working as an in-house paralegal is a good entry point to becoming an in-house lawyer as you may already possess the skills, team working abilities, and company-specific awareness needed to work effectively in an in-house legal team. A company-oriented mindset is key to the role and first-hand experience of this as an in-house paralegal is an asset.

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Why an in-house paralegal role may not be a good entry point to being an in-house lawyer

While an in-house paralegal may understand the intricacies of their company, this is not a given and may not always be transferable. If an in-house paralegal becomes an in-house lawyer at a different company, then the business model and role of the in-house legal team within the company may differ. This means that the aforementioned skills may not be entirely applicable.

Working as a paralegal at a commercial law firm may provide an individual with a broader and more comprehensive understanding of applying the law in different situations. This is because commercial law firms work with many different clients on a range of deals, and their clients will have different business needs. What this brings is perhaps a more nuanced understanding of a commercial mindset.

As a paralegal at a commercial law firm, you will likely already have the necessary critical thinking and communication skills, as well as strong organisation and rigour needed for an in-house lawyer role. This means that the soft skills of an in-house paralegal may not necessarily be stronger than a paralegal at a commercial law firm.

Key takeaways

The basis of whether working as an in-house paralegal is a ‘good’ entry point to becoming an in-house lawyer hinges on what we assess ‘good’ as. If we measure ‘good’ by the skills, training, and knowledge gained from working as an in-house paralegal, then it is fair to say that this depends on the company you work at as an in-house lawyer and the levels of responsibility you are given.

The crux of assessing whether any paralegal is ‘good’ ultimately depends on whether their experiences can be translated into a language that emphasises the commercial aspect, decision-making rather than advice-giving nature, and business-oriented emphasis of working as an in-house lawyer.

If an in-house paralegal is able to speak the language of their business and simply complex matters, then they likely have an equal, if not more tailored, understanding of what an in-house lawyer’s role looks like. This makes working as an in-house paralegal a good entry point to working as an in-house lawyer, if such knowledge is present and utilised.

Fundamentally, it would seem slightly counter-intuitive if someone with the job title ‘in-house’ cannot translate this experience into another in-house role, such as an in-house lawyer.

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