In-House Counsel

Overview

An in-house attorney serves as an employee of and attorney for an organization, typically a corporation. The attorney’s chief duty is to provide legal advice to and protect the legal interests of the organization. In-house counsel represent only the organization; they do not represent its employees or individual officers. If there is a conflict between the interests of the organization or one of its officers, the in-house counsel must advance the interests of the organization.

Depending on the size and structure of the organization, there may be only one in-house attorney or their may be an entire department. In larger organizations, there is typically a General Counsel who oversees a legal department consisting of two types of attorneys: senior counsel and staff attorneys. Senior counsel may specialize in one particular area of the law or assist the General Counsel in working with outside counsel (independent law firms) on litigation matters. Staff attorneys usually perform research assignments and provide support to senior attorneys.

Again, depending on the size and structure of the organization, in-house counsel may be exposed to a wide variety of issues or specialize in a given area. Some typical areas of practice include: contracts, employment law, tax, antitrust law, tax, corporate securities, and intellectual property.

Many organizations expect in-house counsel to have at least a few years of experience in a law firm or government agency before hire. However, smaller organizations, start-ups, and non-profits are more willing to consider recent law school graduates. A recent graduate may also have success finding positions as in-house counsel for an organization that does work in an industry in which the graduate has prior experience. Additionally, some larger corporations have summer clerkship programs that can lead to permanent positions.

Skills/Personality Characteristics

  • Excellent interpersonal communication skills
  • Excellent research and writing skills
  • Effective analytical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Negotiation and organizational skills
  • Ability to work both in teams and with non-attorneys
  • Ability to work quickly and creatively
  • Sound business judgment
  • Prior experience and training at a law firm or company with a significant legal department

Where do in-house counsel work?

In-house counsel work in large and small corporations and may also work for non-profit organizations.

Selected Courses at Brandeis School of Law

These courses have been taught in the last two years and may or may not be on the schedule for the next academic year. If you are interested in a course listed here, but the course is not on the schedule, please see the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

  • Business Organizations
  • Securities Regulation
  • Contracts
  • Secured Transactions
  • Business Planning
  • Corporate Tax
  • In-House Counsel
  • Antitrust
  • Contract Drafting
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Problems in Corporation Law

Students should also consider taking courses in employment law and intellectual property as well as management and business classes taught at the business school.

Selected Faculty Who Teach in This Area

R. Thomas Blackburn
Grace M. Giesel
Lisa H. Nicholson
Richard H. Nowka
Lars S. Smith (Intellectual Property)
Manning G. Warren, III

Externship/Public Service Placement Opportunities

Externships

  • In-house counsel externship
  • Tax externship

Placements

  • UofL Office of Technology Development
  • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  • IRS District counsel’s office

Professional Associations

  • Association of Corporate Counsel
  • Kentucky Bar Association Corporate House Counsel Section
  • Louisville Bar Association In-House Counsel Section

For further reading, the Corporate Yellow Book is available in the OPD Library, and In-House Counsel's Essential Toolkit, ABA Committee on Corporate Counsel, 2007, is available in the Law Library.