In-house secondments

Tell us briefly about your in-house secondment experience.

I was seconded to a reinsurance client in London for the final seat of my traineeship. I was part of a very small legal team including myself, the Head of Legal and a contracts manager.

Was the organisation you were seconded to well-equipped to take on a secondee?

My secondment was part of a regular arrangement with the client whereby they received a trainee from a firm on their panel every six months, therefore it was well set up.

In particular, the following processes were in place:

a.       The client had a good induction process whereby I met with department heads from the main areas of the business to discuss their role;

b.       My supervisor was familiar with my firm’s appraisal procedure (as a trainee three monthly appraisals were required) and encouraged me to keep in touch with my firm; and

c.       The client’s systems were well set up for an in-house team, in that we had access to matter management systems similar to those available at my firm, which made the transition very smooth.

What did you enjoy most about your in-house secondment experience?

I enjoyed being central in the business and having involvement in projects from start to finish. I felt integral to the business process and had direct contact with stakeholders. As part of a very small legal team I also had a high level of responsibility as non-lawyers in the business just saw me as ’legal counsel’ rather than a trainee. I enjoyed my experience in-house so much that ultimately I decided to stay in-house after qualification.

Would you recommend an in-house secondment to others? Why?

I would definitely recommend an in-house secondment, particularly as a trainee. It shows you how the tasks you undertake as a solicitor fit into the ultimate structure of business. More than that, it teaches you to be a project manager and to assess risk in a more nuanced way. 

What are your top tips for anyone about to go on secondment?

My top tips would be to research the industry and the business of the company. It helps when you have some background on things like whether there are particular regulations which apply, or any recent or upcoming changes to the law which might have a significant impact.

Tell us briefly about your in-house secondment experiences.

As a two-year qualified lawyer, I was seconded to the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA). During that twelve month secondment, I worked on a variety of legal issues (many outside my comfort zone, including instructing Senior Counsel in a criminal matter at the High Court). Later, I was seconded to Glasgow 2014 Limited, the organising committee for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where I primarily supported Glasgow 2014’s commercial team. Both secondments were fantastically rewarding experiences that cemented my desire to pursue my career as an in-house lawyer.

Were those organisations well-equipped to take on a secondee?

I don’t believe it is the responsibility of organisations to prepare themselves for the arrival of secondees. I think the onus ought to be on the seconding law firm to prepare its secondees for the organisations.

In my experience, the in-house legal teams at SPSA and Glasgow 2014 were very supportive – introducing me to, and managing the expectations of, the businesses. My seconding law firms were also supportive to my needs as a secondee. Frequent check-ins with partners at the firms, and opportunities for second opinions from lawyers within the firms (at zero cost) provided me with the necessary support to meet the expectations of both organisations.

What did you enjoy most about your in-house secondment experience?

Without doubt, it was the satisfaction of knowing I made a material contribution to SPSA and Glasgow 2014. It’s difficult in private practice to remain close and ‘connected’ to legal work - quite often, advice is provided to clients and never seen again. However, the in-house environment is a far more personal experience and I was able to see my legal advice considered and implemented.

For example, in my time with Glasgow 2014, I spent two years working closely with its commercial team (including senior executives) on sponsorship and merchandising deals. Having influenced these projects, it was hugely satisfying to see my efforts manifest themselves on a world stage in the summer of 2014.

Would you recommend an in-house secondment to others? Why?

Absolutely. A secondment gives lawyers the opportunity to be a cog in the wheel of an organisation, and fully understand the priorities and risk appetite of the organisation. Secondments undoubtedly help lawyers understand what qualities are of true value to their clients (in my experience, these include pragmatism, being commercially focused, and not being adverse to risk). With this knowledge and experience, lawyers can then develop to be true assets to their clients.

What are your top tips for anyone about to go on secondment?

The organisation probably needs a secondee as a cost-effective option to address an immediate legal need – so work out what that need is, and make sure you offer value for money. Immerse yourself in the organisation and listen, listen and listen. Meet as many people as you can because, to add real value and meet the expectations of the organisation, you must know its culture and its people.

Above all, you need to be commercial. As a newly qualified lawyer, you might be quite chuffed at impressing your partner in preparing a 4-page note on the latest case law concerning liabilities and indemnities. However, in a commercial organisation, the culture is different: you won’t get praise for a 4-page note. Instead, you need to provide sharp, succinct and commercially sensible advice with a clear recommendation.

And finally – enjoy it! There will be times where you will feel hopelessly out of your depth. But it’s that experience that will make you a better lawyer.

Tell us briefly about your in-house secondment experiences.