Congrats! 🎉 You’ve escaped billable hours and tracking your life in six-minute increments — welcome to in-house life! But let’s be real: the transition isn’t all smooth sailing. It’s exciting, messy, fast-paced, and full of moments where you’ll think, Wait… am I supposed to know this?!

But here’s the good news: You’re not alone. Every in-house lawyer has been there. And the best part? You will figure it out. So let’s talk about what I wish someone had told me when I first made the jump.

1. You’re More Than Just “The Lawyer”

Your job isn’t just to give legal advice — it’s to help the company win while staying out of legal trouble. This means:

✅ Think like a business leader, not just a risk-spotter.

✅ Get comfortable making calls without researching every legal theory known to humankind.

✅ Keep it simple; your best work happens when your advice is clear, concise, and actionable.

💡 Big lesson: The best in-house lawyers don’t just say, “No, you can’t do that.” They say, “Here’s how we can make it work.”

2. Perfection? Overrated.

Coming from a law firm, you’re used to perfection. In-house? Not so much. Business moves fast, and perfect is the enemy of done.

✅ Good enough is often good enough.

✅ Know when to let go. Nobody wants a 10-page memo on a minor issue.

✅ Speed matters. Sometimes, the best answer is the one that gets there first.

💡 Pro tip: If the contract is for $5K, don’t spend 10 hours redlining it. Trust me.

3. You Will Be Asked About Everything.

Employment law? Data privacy? Tax? In-house, everything is suddenly “legal’s problem.”

✅ Be resourceful; half of this job is figuring out what you don’t know.

✅ Build a solid outside counsel network for the trickier stuff.

✅ Get comfortable with “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”

💡 Reality check: Nobody expects you to be an expert on everything. They do expect you to figure it out fast.

4. Build Relationships Early

The best in-house lawyers aren’t just good at legal; they’re good at people. Your influence depends on trust. So:

✅ Make friends with finance, HR, and sales; they’ll be your lifeline.

✅ Understand how your company actually makes money; it will shape everything you do.

✅ Be approachable; if teams fear legal, they’ll loop you in way too late.

💡 Golden rule: The best legal advice in the world won’t matter if no one wants to work with you.

5. Budgeting? Oh Yeah, That’s Your Job Now.

No one tells you this, but managing legal spend is huge in-house. Be ready to:

✅ Negotiate fees with outside counsel — never accept the first number.

✅ Track legal spend — finance will ask.

✅ Find cost-effective solutions — contract templates, automation, playbooks, etc.

💡 Pro tip: Leadership will notice if you treat company money like your own.

Final Thought: You’ve Got This.

Every in-house lawyer has felt out of their depth at first. But over time, you’ll develop the judgment, instincts, and relationships that make you indispensable.

So don’t stress the small stuff. Ask questions. Build trust. And most importantly — enjoy the ride.

💬 What was your biggest ‘Wait… am I supposed to know this?!’ moment when you started in-house? Drop your insights below! ⬇️