In law school, you become proficient in researching case law, preparing arguments, and comprehending readings to participate in class discussions. However, that just meets the pre-requisite for working in the legal field, especially in-house. To really be successful, you need an all-around education—like knowing how to negotiate commercial contracts, maintain a healthy work-lief balance, and build strong relationships with sales. But, they don't teach you all that in law school.
We’ve given some tips before. Here are a few more critical tips they didn’t teach you in law school.
Mastering Contract Negotiations
Knowing when to push, when to pull, when to use what Laura Frederick calls your “negotiation currency,” is key to successful contract negotiation.
According to Fredericks’ philosophy, every contract has a “budget,” and depending on the priorities of your business and legal team, you’ll have to decide how and when to spend that budget. For example, for some contracts, you might want to spend all your negotiation currency on a single liability clause, while for others, you’ll need to spread it equally across different contract provisions.
Another protip: Think of the team on the other side of negotiations as your ally, not your enemy. Ask questions to reveal the ‘why’ behind their asks, see what joint wins you can accomplish with compromise, and say no gently but firmly when it’s necessary.
Managing Your Mental Health
While law school gets you accustomed to heavy workloads and retaining copious amounts of information in a short period of time, there probably wasn’t a class on how to give your brain a break.
Lawyers experience a high burnout rate, and more than half of those who report mental health issues also report that they have not sought help. In-house counsel can protect their mental health with stronger boundaries, better time management, and reaching out for support when they need to.
Even simple self-care goes a long way. Get enough sleep, eat properly, and make time for yourself. The contracts will be there in the morning
Building Your Brand
Strong in-house counsel candidates aren’t just good lawyers, they’re incredible business people. This means that a crucial part of being a successful legal professional is building your personal brand.
To build your brand, ask the question Danielle Sheer and Andy Dale ask themselves: What do I want to be known for? Legal has a reputation for saying no and moving at a slower pace than other departments. So, as in-house counsel, it’s on you to show internal collaborators that you’re a team player who wants to make their lives easier. Find quick wins and strategic solutions that showcase you and your team as an asset to the business.
Takeaways
While law school built a great foundation for your knowledge of the law, there is so much more to learn about effectively practicing it in-house. Negotiating contracts, building your brand, and managing your mental health are only some of the skills you learn on the job. For more tips on navigating your legal career, subscribe to the LinkSquares blog.
