Transitioning from External Counsel to In-House

A new GC and former Latham lawyer gives good pointers on how to go from big firm to in-house:

1. Before you get started, learn what is management’s goal and what is your role (e.g., what are you expected to do yourself, where are you supposed to weigh in, and what are you leveraging outside counsel for?)
2. Give more than conservative advice – give a solution!
3. Support your groups and know their needs. This is your job. Add value to them, e.g., by streamlining processes.
4. Spend your resources (time and budget) wisely. Know when to leverage which resources, both internally and externally.