The inhouse area offers a variety of opportunities: The spectrum of possible fields of employment ranges from traditional legal work (e.g., as (junior/senior) legal counsel) to interdisciplinary cooperation within the company (especially in the areas of compliance and data protection) to management (head of legal) and (co-)organization of the company's business (e.g., as general counsel/management). As different as the respective industries and corporate cultures are, the transitions between the areas outlined above and their specific designations are naturally also fluid.

In recent years, there has been a trend within many companies to significantly reduce the costs of external legal advice and, in a mirror image, to strengthen their own legal department. Particularly high growth can be seen in the area of compliance. The expansion of compliance departments goes hand in hand with both the increasingly strict regulatory requirements and the heightened awareness that a compliance incident has a direct impact on the business and the company's results. Companies have come to the (sometimes painful) realization that the greatest threat is not fines and penalties, but a possible and indirectly financially measurable loss of trust by consumers and business partners. Against this background, companies are increasingly investing in the area of compliance and expanding this department.

For many lawyers, working for a company is also very appealing. Often, the desire to focus on just one client - the company - and to be able to accompany processes from start to finish is at the forefront. Furthermore, to be able to experience the effects of the decisions made oneself and not just from a distance, as an external consultant. Furthermore, the topics of work-life balance with appropriate remuneration, career planning and the compatibility of child and family are in the foreground (e.g. home office offers). Last but not least, the option of not just working as a "core lawyer" on a permanent basis is often attractive, but of being able to develop further within the company or group if the opportunity arises - for example, into operational management in the long term.

Starting a career in a company is usually somewhat difficult - but not impossible. For career starters, there is initially less choice, as employers prefer candidates with relevant work experience. In a mirror image, the choice increases with experience: The first classic switching window for lawyers opens with "first professional experience," i.e., usually after about two years at the earliest. A real asset here is training in an internationally active law firm. This continues to enjoy a very high status. On the one hand, you learn not only the legal craft, but also how to deal with clients. On the other hand, you get a first insight into the structures and legal challenges of the clients - and these are mostly companies.

Thanks to the "new" right of exemption from the statutory pension insurance obligation, an important point has been clarified and a change to a company has become more attractive again. In terms of salary, the change from the law firm to the corporate world is often accompanied by a financial loss. The question of the amount cannot be answered in a general way and depends on many factors (esp. industry, size of the company, region). However, instead of cash, the move from the law firm to the corporate world pays off for many candidates in that factors such as a better work-life balance or the ability to plan ahead are playing an increasingly important role. The move to a company does not have to be a step backwards. It is a good option - especially since not everyone can or wants to become a partner or similar. On the contrary, it can also be a real career step forward. This is all the more true in the "second change window", i.e. after around 5-7 years of professional experience. For such candidates, ideally, more senior positions (e.g. as senior legal counsel or even with managerial responsibility) can be considered - these are, of course, correspondingly well remunerated. The crucial thing is to find out what options you have - we will be happy to help you with this.

Inhouse career