In-House Counsel

3 Things I Miss About Law Firm Life

In-house is great, but being at a law firm was not without its perks.

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lawfirmlibraryIf you have been following me, you know that I love being in-house. I love it so much that I can’t imagine leaving to go back to a law firm. At the same time, I have to admit that I miss a few things about firm life.

An Administrative Assistant

When I left private practice, I shared an administrative assistant with three other attorneys. While she had to necessarily prioritize partners’ work, she helped me with many things: document formatting, looking things up, submitting expenses, responding to event invitations, scheduling, mailing (including personal), tracking down people and things. One assistant assisted me with my legal name change after marriage, helping me apply for admission at various courts, and even calling my husband if I was stuck in a meeting.

And while I do have access to one legal administrative assistant, I share her with 10 other attorneys in our group. Knowing how big we are and how much my manager may need her, I don’t ask her to do much. And I would never dare ask her to do anything that wasn’t directly related to work. Which is why I miss having an administrative assistant.

Traveling Luxe

I’d like to think that I’m not boujee — but this section may contradict that perception. This may depend upon the company you work for, but as in-house counsel, I am very mindful of my expenses. Where I used to travel business class at a firm, I now travel coach and as cheaply (but direct) as possible. Where I used to stay at the Four Seasons, I now do not, opting for places that are within company policy. Where I normally wouldn’t think twice about ordering a drink with my meal or ordering what I want to eat, as in-house counsel, I am careful about staying below a certain number even though we do not have a per diem. Travel is often discouraged unless necessary to do business. I definitely don’t mind not having to travel, but when I do, I miss some of the perks I used to have at a law firm.

Professional Development

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As someone who loves to learn and actively seeks professional and personal development, I loved that the law firm I was at developed trainings for the associates. Besides deposition skills and project management, I remember receiving training on public speaking, business development, and building credibility. There were also opportunities to attend conferences and receive continuing legal education. In contrast, as in-house counsel, my experience has been that it is much more limited.

Meyling Mey Ly OrtizMeyling “Mey” Ly Ortiz is in-house at Toyota Motor North America. Her passions include mentoring, championing belonging, and a personal blog: TheMeybe.com. At home, you can find her doing her best to be a “fun” mom to a toddler and preschooler and chasing her best self on her Peloton. You can follow her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/meybe/). And you knew this was coming: her opinions are hers alone.

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