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Skills
breadth of work adds complexity, requiring lawyers to move quickly across different areas. As a result, candidates are taking a more realistic view, recognizing that the trade-off is between different types of pressure rather than less work overall.
Redefining legal careers
Career progression also reflects this structural change. Unlike the linear path to partnership in private practice, in-house careers are shaped by organizational structure and timing. Senior roles are limited, and advancement can vary significantly between companies. This lack of predictability can disadvantage those seeking a clearly defined trajectory. However, it reflects a broader shift away from rigid career models towards more flexible, experience-driven progression. Success is less about reaching a predefined endpoint and more about building a relevant and adaptable skill set.
From a market perspective, the implications are significant. There is a clear and growing preference for lawyers who can operate beyond pure technical delivery. Industry experience, client exposure, and sector knowledge are increasingly valued, particularly in complex regulatory environments. Employers are looking for individuals who can understand the context in which legal issues arise and respond accordingly. This is not a marginal trend but represents a fundamental recalibration of hiring priorities across the profession.
Moreover, in-house legal teams are under pressure to operate efficiently and demonstrate value. As a result, those who are technologically most proficient- comfortable with systems, processes, and emerging tools, including AI- are becoming more valuable. The ability to streamline workflows and adopt new technologies is no longer a niche skill, but part of the broader commercial capability that defines effectiveness in modern legal roles.
Importantly, this shift is not confined to inhouse positions: there is increasing movement back into private practice from lawyers who have gained in-house experience. These individuals bring a stronger sense of commercial awareness and a clearer understanding of client needs. Law firms are recognizing the value of this perspective, particularly as clients demand more practical and commercially aligned advice. In this sense, the influence of the in-house model is reshaping expectations across the entire legal market.
The rise of the in-house lawyer is not simply a change in where legal work is carried out. It is redefining what it means to be an effective lawyer. Commercial thinking, clear communication, and the ability to operate within a business are now central to long-term success. For lawyers at all stages of their careers, the implication is clear: developing these broader capabilities is no longer optional. Whether in private practice or in-house, those who can combine legal knowledge with commercial understanding will be best positioned to succeed in a profession that is evolving rapidly. ■
Tom Hanlon www. wearebuchanan. com
Tom Hanlon is Executive Director at Buchanan, a global legal search firm specialising in private practice recruitment. Operating across the US, UK, Europe and the Middle East, Buchanan partners with lawyers and law firms to shape what comes next. Combining market insight with innovation and a people-first approach, the firm recruits associates, counsel and non-equity partners across the world’ s leading legal markets.
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