Behind the scenes of the in-house boom — Why young solicitors are changing course

The first step you take on the Scottish law ladder after qualifying is a big moment. Ellie Philpotts finds out why young solicitors are now choosing to mark the occasion in-house.

Where was – or is – your first role? If ‘in-house’ is your answer, you’re probably among the minority. However, this might soon change. While new solicitors traditionally gravitate towards private practice, it seems an increasing number are now setting their sights on one site.

So what draws young solicitors to the in-house lifestyle? We asked them, up and down the country and in all manner of different roles, what it is.

Works both ways

Anoop Joshi, Chief Trust Officer at TrustPilot, is both in-house himself and a hiring manager: “In my experience, younger lawyers are increasingly drawn to mission-driven organisations and the pace of change that technology-focused businesses have to offer. Throughout my time at Skyscanner and Trustpilot, I’ve seen in-house lawyers thrive on opportunities to influence products and services used by millions, from idea to execution.

“Ours develop sharp senses of commercial reality, learning to balance risk and opportunity with genuine business insight, sharing in successes with colleagues. This shift is a healthy evolution for many in the profession, especially lawyers comfortable using technology in practice and eager to see their legal advice turn into real-world impact.”

In Dundee, people development company Insights has seven in-house lawyers, including Hannah Leslie, Senior Legal Counsel. She’s also spotted that opportunities in-house have “grown exponentially in the last decade”. Why might this be?

Hannah identifies “remote working opening opportunities beyond commuter distance” and “businesses seeing the value in having governance built from within via legal teams” as factors.

Most sectors now provide in-house opportunities, which come armed with more flexible work-life balances. This might appeal especially to generation Z, who, Hannah says, “won’t settle for poor working conditions”.

How does this match with the history of law? With the profession’s age, comes traditions. Hannah thinks this element can be unattractive. It’s no secret that working environments in the law sector can be “toxic”, with burnout and mental health crises caused by long hours, presenteeism, billing targets and demanding clients.

“If young solicitors find better [conditions] in-house, that’s where they’ll go. High salaries and hierarchy are out, whilst reasonable remuneration and rest are in.”

Hannah says her legal colleagues are “across it all” – supporting revenue growth via commercial contracts, creating governance policies, managing intellectual property (IP) portfolios, being on hand for their People Team…

“There’s a reason many [people] have law degrees but don’t become lawyers. The skills [they] have often go beyond understanding and applying the law. Project management; critical and creative thinking; prioritisation and resilience are just some [of the] transferable skills. When you add a commercial environment, lawyers have opportunities to stretch outside their comfort zone, meaning business and lawyer both benefit.”

Sailing in the same centre

Fabrizio Palmucci is a trainee legal counsel at NatWest Group, but his journey began in legal services lecture theatres in Italy, where he became the first in his family to graduate.

Moving to Scotland for further study was one leap into the unknown, then specialising in-house was another. After completing the accelerated LLB and Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the University of Dundee and a variety of work experience, he found himself at NatWest Group.

Fabrizio was drawn to in-house traineeship by the chance to “collaborate and learn deeply within a business environment”. “Working in-house means being part of the organisation’s fabric,” he explains, “understanding its strategy, challenges, goals. It’s about providing legal advice that’s practical, commercial and aligned with the company’s mission.”

Particularly rewarding for Fabrizio is the exposure to a wide range of issues and decisions, often by collaborating closely with different departments. This allows regular feedback, coaching and meaningful conversations that help you “stretch”.

Fabrizio, who recharges by sailing, aptly likens in-house to “being part of a ship’s permanent crew”, where you’re “not just advising from the shore”, but “on board, navigating alongside the team, knowing the vessel inside out, steering toward the company’s goals”.

“When the ship needs to change course quickly, you’re there,” he adds. Fabrizio notes that while the pace can be intense, the immersion and collaboration mean he would wholeheartedly recommend in-house traineeships.

The rules of recruitment

Cameron Adrain, a recruiter at Frasia Wright Associates, has seen working in-house become increasingly popular within junior levels during his 17 years in the industry.

He caveats this by saying that recent salary increases in private practice mean many in-house roles now struggle to compete in terms of pay for junior commercial lawyers. In some cases, this has resulted in a significant gap between the salary of a junior commercial role in private practice and that of a junior commercial role in-house.

Cameron thinks the growth of in-house is down to a perception of a better work-life balance and more sustainable working hours, without the pressure of billable hours and targets, plus the ability for closer connections to the business.

“In-house is often viewed [as] more interesting, with opportunities to see the impact of your legal advice and play greater roles within the business’ commercial, strategic objectives.

“The growth of in-house teams in organisations has meant more junior-level opportunities becoming available.”

Finally, he identifies a change in priority within the profession. Partnership and the potential lucrative financial rewards “aren’t prioritised to the same extent as 20 years ago”.

Eeman Talha, a future trainee solicitor at the Scottish Government, said: “What drew me to applying to the Scottish Government and the idea of working in-house was the opportunity to contribute to systematic work that directly affects people’s experiences in Scotland, whilst navigating the complexity of Scotland’s devolved powers and how they are exercised in practice.

“In this way, I’m attracted to the idea that in-house government work is rarely routine — the issues sound varied, often novel, and require creativity as much as legal analysis. The chance to work closely with people affected by the policies generated for them, understand strategic aims from another lens, and help navigate complex societal challenges feels like a fulfilling experience to grow as a lawyer and continue a meaningful contribution early in my career.”

Starting, then staying

Andrew Todd, Group Director, General Counsel and Company Secretary at Springfield Properties plc, advises that as law careers “become more specialist”, opportunities to cover several different areas of law are attractive. “In-house roles tend to be more general and, for those facing pressure to specialise earlier in their careers, offer chances to explore more options for longer,” he adds.

There is not one set reason why young Scottish solicitors are prioritising one set place to practice law. It’s got to do with the mission, with conditions, and with the opportunity to be part of the ‘fabric’ of something. These young solicitors know how their workplace operates, then they get to return home, relax, rest and maybe race a sailing boat, before starting it all again the next day, and maybe for the next few decades.