Building an in-house community, one post at a time

In the wake of launching the in-house community platform, co-conveners of the In-house Lawyers Committee (ILC), Vlad Valiente and Sheekha Saha, share the inspiration for the community platform and why bringing together the in-house community is so important.

As in-house solicitors in Scotland we have the challenging job of working across the wide expanse of Scotland and beyond. Like many others, we can often be working alone or within very small teams and with little external connection to the wider legal community.

Whether you are newly qualified or have been a part of the profession for 30 years, working in-house comes with its own unique set of challenges. With that in mind, the ILC has been hard at work putting together a platform that aims to bring together the wide-ranging expertise and knowledge that exists within the Scottish in-house lawyers’ community.

More directly, the idea for the platform came about from feedback the ILC received from the in-house community about the need (particularly for smaller in-house teams) to be able to build networks and tap into in-house community knowledge and experience in order to provide the best service we can to our employer/client. The In-house Community Platform was one of the projects the ILC decided to pursue with the full support of the Law Society, alongside some of the bread and butter work that the ILC supports and carries out (including the In-house Annual Conference, Journal content, roundtable discussions, Rising Star Award etc).

The In-house Community Platform is there to be a networking tool for the in-house community, a mechanism for connecting with others, asking for help and advice on specific work related subjects (from black letter law right through to leadership and management matters) and a space for ongoing communication between the in-house community and the Society’s In-house Lawyers Committee and the Law Society. The platform will hopefully allow us to build those networks and relationships in a modern and inclusive, online community. 

As hybrid working has become more prevalent and the opportunity to meet our wider colleagues in the profession have dwindled post-pandemic, we really hope the platform supports bridging the gap that has been left behind, and shows anyone, at any stage of their in-house career, that they always have people to lean on for support.

This platform is designed to add to your professional careers and make your working life that bit easier. The In-house Community Platform is designed by in-house lawyers, for in-house lawyers: to be a secure space, a forum for in-house lawyers to interact and to share experience, knowledge and best practice with each other. Being a part of it will allow members to connect with in-house colleagues across the in-house community - in their own sectors and beyond; share best practice and professional development opportunities; discuss current issues; and feed into and influence the work of the ILC, including how the ILC can best represent the in-house community. In a nutshell, it’s a platform made by the in-house community for the in-house community!

With any new idea, we recognise that the platform is the first of its kind for the Law Society and we are keen to learn from it as we go. We may come across some glitches and issues as we test out the site which is normal for any online platform. Ongoing feedback is crucial to ensure we can iron out such issues as we go along and identify improvements and developments that members would find useful.  In order to achieve this aim, we need the in-house community to join us. With your participation, we can create an effective tool we can all benefit from; ultimately it will be what all of us, the in-house community, make of it and we’re really looking forward to seeing how it develops.

We hope you’re now asking: how do I get involved? As they say, you have to be in it to win it. All the in-house community should get involved by signing up, having a look around, contributing and, feeding back To all our in-house colleagues we say: this is your In-house Community Platform, please be part of it and together let’s make it a success!

Vlad Valiente is the current co-convener of In-house Lawyers Committee, SOLAR past President and current Assistant Director of Governance and HR at Dumfries and Galloway Council. Since his traineeship, Vlad has been a part of the in-house community, working at several local authorities and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Sheekha Saha, is the Co-Convener of ILC and is currently a Solicitor with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. Like Vlad, Sheekha has been in-house since her traineeship, 24 years ago.