Page 82 - Leaders in Legal Business and The 1000 Leaders and Influencers - Draft 1
P. 82
Law Department
Management Consulting
Susan Hackett1
Principal, Legal Executive
Leadership, LLC
Introduction: In-House DNA
In-house counsel are legal advisors employed within companies to provide and
coordinate legal services required by the corporate entity. While government and public interest
lawyers are also considered employed counsel, this article is written to address corporate counsel
who work in private organizations, such as companies or non-profit entities, and who solely
represent their organizational clients. Thus, the in-house lawyer has only one client (even if that
client has many facets and representatives), and they do not hold themselves out for retention by
others.
Most in-house counsel work in jurisdictions where they are trained as lawyers and
“graduate” to their in-house job after spending several years as outside counsel in law firms or
sometimes as government lawyers. It is rare for junior lawyers or lawyers fresh out of law school
to secure an in-house placement; most departments hire experienced counsel (laterals) who have
demonstrated expertise. There are some
jurisdictions that do not confer professional
status on local in-house counsel, even if they
are otherwise licensed lawyers.
While all lawyers are subject to the
same rules regulating legal practice, in-
house counsel’s work and operational focus
is often very different from the work and
focus of those who are employed in law
firms. Law firm lawyers are called upon to
remediate or resolve problems that have
already arisen, while in-house counsel spend
most of their time managing the varied
remedial projects being handled by outside counsel and thinking about how to prevent those
problems from arising in the first place (keeping the milk in the glass, as it were, rather than
cleaning it up after it’s spilled).2
1 Susan Hackett is a founding partner and the CEO at Legal Executive Leadership, LLC, a business dedicated to advancing law firms’
productivity and practices. Prior to establishing LEL, she worked as the senior vice president and general counsel to the Association of Corporate
Counsel for 22 years. She is a recognized authority on in-house counseling, corporate client service, and law department operations, who applies
her creativity and deep knowledge of leading success practices to better equip her clients (in law departments, law firms, and legal industry
service organizations) to advance strategic goals and resolve operational challenges. Susan is a double Bachelors and Juris Doctorate graduate of
the University of Michigan. With her experience, talent, and dedication to public service projects and non-profits, she has set herself apart as one
of the most sought-after keynote speakers and spokespersons on corporate legal practices.
68
Management Consulting
Susan Hackett1
Principal, Legal Executive
Leadership, LLC
Introduction: In-House DNA
In-house counsel are legal advisors employed within companies to provide and
coordinate legal services required by the corporate entity. While government and public interest
lawyers are also considered employed counsel, this article is written to address corporate counsel
who work in private organizations, such as companies or non-profit entities, and who solely
represent their organizational clients. Thus, the in-house lawyer has only one client (even if that
client has many facets and representatives), and they do not hold themselves out for retention by
others.
Most in-house counsel work in jurisdictions where they are trained as lawyers and
“graduate” to their in-house job after spending several years as outside counsel in law firms or
sometimes as government lawyers. It is rare for junior lawyers or lawyers fresh out of law school
to secure an in-house placement; most departments hire experienced counsel (laterals) who have
demonstrated expertise. There are some
jurisdictions that do not confer professional
status on local in-house counsel, even if they
are otherwise licensed lawyers.
While all lawyers are subject to the
same rules regulating legal practice, in-
house counsel’s work and operational focus
is often very different from the work and
focus of those who are employed in law
firms. Law firm lawyers are called upon to
remediate or resolve problems that have
already arisen, while in-house counsel spend
most of their time managing the varied
remedial projects being handled by outside counsel and thinking about how to prevent those
problems from arising in the first place (keeping the milk in the glass, as it were, rather than
cleaning it up after it’s spilled).2
1 Susan Hackett is a founding partner and the CEO at Legal Executive Leadership, LLC, a business dedicated to advancing law firms’
productivity and practices. Prior to establishing LEL, she worked as the senior vice president and general counsel to the Association of Corporate
Counsel for 22 years. She is a recognized authority on in-house counseling, corporate client service, and law department operations, who applies
her creativity and deep knowledge of leading success practices to better equip her clients (in law departments, law firms, and legal industry
service organizations) to advance strategic goals and resolve operational challenges. Susan is a double Bachelors and Juris Doctorate graduate of
the University of Michigan. With her experience, talent, and dedication to public service projects and non-profits, she has set herself apart as one
of the most sought-after keynote speakers and spokespersons on corporate legal practices.
68
