What does an in-house lawyer do?

What Does an In-House Lawyer Do? An Insight into the Role and Salary Guide in the UK

An in-house solicitor or barrister, often referred to as in-house counsel, general counsel or corporate lawyer working in-house, is a lawyer employed directly by a company or organisation, as opposed to working for a law firm. This role differs significantly from that of a private practice lawyer due to its integrated nature within a business rather than serving external clients.

Role and Responsibilities of an In-House Lawyer

The primary responsibility of an in-house lawyer is to provide legal advice tailored to the needs of the organisation they work for, whether this is a company or a public organisation or institution. This advice covers a broad spectrum of areas including:

1. Contract Management: Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts are fundamental aspects of the job. Usually involve contracts with suppliers, customers and employees.
2. Compliance and Risk Management: In-house lawyers monitor the business’s operations to ensure compliance with legal regulations. This includes GDPR/data protection law, employment law, and any industry-specific legislation. Identifying and advising on potential risks to the company is also a crucial part of their duties.
3. Dispute Resolution: In-house lawyers can handle any disputes in which the company is involved, although most in-house lawyers will swiftly outsource any litigation to external solicitors to handle. However work can range from litigation and arbitration to negotiating settlements. As ever with the state of the courts and the risk to most businesses of huge financial loss from continuing litigation, lawyers often work to resolve issues before they reach court.
4. Intellectual Property: For companies in tech, media, or manufacturing, protecting intellectual property is vital. In-house lawyers very often manage patents, copyrights, and trademarks, ensuring that the company’s assets are legally protected.
5. Corporate Governance: General Counsel or in-house corporate lawyers are heavily involved in many aspects of corporate governance, providing advice on company policies, the legal implications of business decisions, and ensuring compliance with corporate laws and regulations.
6. Employment Law: This includes advising on hiring practices, drafting employment contracts, managing redundancies, and dealing with workplace disputes. Quite often more senior counsel will outsource this side of things to external solicitors where possible.

The Strategic Role

In addition to these tasks, in-house lawyers play a strategic role by participating in executive decisions and sitting on the company board of directors, or governing body. .

Salary Guide

Salaries for in-house lawyers in the UK can vary widely depending on the sector, the size and type of the company, geographical location, and the lawyer’s experience. According to recent data:

• Starting Salaries: Junior in-house lawyers or newly qualified solicitors in smaller companies might expect to start at around £30,000 to £55,000 per annum.
• Mid-Career Salaries: With several years of experience, particularly in mid to large-sized companies or in financial services, technology, or pharmaceuticals, salaries can range from £55,000 to £95,000.
• Senior In-House Counsel: Those occupying senior roles or working in very large corporations, especially in London, can earn anywhere from £95,000 to well over £200,000 not including potential bonuses and other benefits.

Temporary In House Lawyers

Interim Lawyers are specialists for locum and consultant in-house lawyers in the UK and offshore. Get in touch with us to discuss our services or register an assignment here.