How to nail the leadership skills you need to become a top In-House Lawyer

"Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power." - Lao Tzu.

What makes a good in-house lawyer great is having outstanding leadership skills. Understanding the role leadership plays in business is a vital part of the in-house legal job. Training for years to become an amazing lawyer means you deserve a rewarding law career. But if an in-house role appeals more than going down the law firm route— then here’s why superb leadership skills matter. 

Success is a habit. Leadership is a practice.

The success of a company relies on effective leadership. An in-house lawyer has a leadership role because of their legal expertise, but it’s your leadership skills that will make you great at your job. Leadership matters. Not only to the organisation and its people, but to its profitability too. Leadership skills aren’t some innate talent you can simply fall back on, it’s something you can study and practice - just like law.

Be authentic, reflective, and demonstrative.

The way to lead isn’t to tell people what you want them to do, but show them why it matters and get them to invest in the company's success. You know you’re a great lawyer. But are you really a great leader? What feedback on your leadership skills have you received? How easy is it to approach you with a totally out-there idea? How do you deal with mistakes? Do you share your knowledge or hold it back?

Nailing the leadership side of the in-house lawyer role means recognising and rewarding the value of others, even if their role doesn’t directly benefit you. Be open to new ideas and sharing knowledge. Draw on what you can all learn from mistakes rather than laying on the blame. Find ways to get people fired up to take on the next challenge, and see the benefits of working with you.

Nail your communication.

In-house lawyers don’t just talk to other lawyers. You could be speaking to a stakeholder one minute, then implementing a training program to new recruits the next. Communicating complex legal issues in a way that’s easy to understand is key. Don’t expect people to get it the first time, guide people through what they need to know, write clearly, and make sure non-lawyers understand what you mean and why it matters.

Find the right people, don’t hide in the office.

What is an in-house lawyer? Don’t presume everyone in the company knows what an in-house lawyer does. Especially if you stay inside your own legal bubble. It’s tempting to mix with those you know such as the General counsel, other in-house lawyers on your team, or the management team who employ you. Successful in-house lawyers lead by getting around and chatting to people in the company from different departments. They get to know the clients too. This way, when you need to pool resources, get messages out there, and bring others into your work, you’re in a powerful position.

Talk to people as people, not as businesses.

It’s really common to find yourself so entrenched in legal matters you start speaking in terminology that goes over the heads of most people. In-house lawyers aren’t alone in doing this. Many people in businesses fall into the trap of using business-speak to sound like a leader. Soon phrases like “Giving it 110%” or “Think outside the box” start slipping in and you become a walking cliche-machine.

Instead, focus on getting to know the people around you, listen to ideas, reveal your own feelings, let people in on the goals behind a project or plan, and make people feel they’re achieving something worthwhile and that they’re a part of something bigger than themselves.

Interested in finding out more about taking on an in-house lawyer or switching to an in-house lawyer role? Get in touch and talk to us about in-house recruitment jobs today.