An in-house interview is not a law firm interview in disguise, and treating it like one is a common mistake. When a company interviews you for its legal team, it is not just hiring legal expertise; it is hiring a business partner who happens to be a lawyer. Understanding that shift is the key to preparing well. Whether you are moving in-house from a firm or applying for a new in-house role, let me show you what companies actually look for and how to prepare.
Quick answer
In-house counsel interviews look for a lawyer who understands and serves the business: commercial awareness, practical and pragmatic judgement, the ability to advise business teams in plain terms, good communication and relationship skills, and genuine interest in the company and its industry.
Compared with a firm interview, in-house interviews weigh commercial mindset and business partnership more heavily than pure technical depth. To prepare, understand the company and its business, be ready to show commercial and pragmatic thinking, and convey that you can be a trusted, business-friendly adviser. It is about business value, not just legal skill.
How in-house interviews differ from firm interviews
At a firm, you serve many clients on discrete matters, and interviews weigh technical fit and matter experience heavily. In-house, you serve one business continuously, so companies weigh whether you can understand the business, give practical commercially sensible advice, work well with non-lawyers, and add value beyond pure legal technicality. A brilliant technical lawyer who cannot communicate commercially or partner with the business is a poor in-house fit. So in-house interviews probe commercial mindset, pragmatism, communication and business understanding more than a firm interview does.
What companies look for
- Commercial awareness: that you understand the business context and give advice that helps the business, not just technically correct answers.
- Pragmatism and judgement: practical, risk-sensible advice that enables the business to move, rather than pure risk-flagging.
- Communication and relationships: the ability to advise business teams clearly and work well with non-lawyers.
- Genuine interest in the company and industry: companies want someone who cares about their business and sector.
- Relevant legal ability for the role, of course, but framed around business value.
How to prepare
Focus your preparation on the in-house, business-partner layer. Understand the company, its business, its industry and its likely legal needs, so you can show genuine, informed interest. Be ready to demonstrate commercial and pragmatic thinking: how you would advise the business practically while managing risk. Prepare to show communication and relationship skills, since working with business teams is central.
Convey genuine interest in the company and sector. And frame your legal experience in terms of business value (see the in-house CV guide for the same principle). You are showing that you can be a trusted, commercially minded business partner.
Common in-house question themes
Alongside questions about you, expect themes like “Why in-house / why us?”, how you would handle advising a business team on a practical issue, how you balance managing risk with enabling the business, how you work with non-lawyers, and questions about your commercial thinking and interest in the company’s industry. Prepare with a business-first, pragmatic mindset.
YLCC ACTION STEP: Before an in-house interview, understand the company and its business well enough to show genuine interest, and prepare to answer a practical question in a commercial, pragmatic way (how would you help the business do this while managing risk?). Demonstrating business partnership, not just legal correctness, is exactly what companies look for.
PLEASE DON’T DO THIS: Please don’t present yourself as a purely technical lawyer who flags risks and says no; companies want a pragmatic business partner. And please don’t skip understanding the company’s business and industry; genuine, informed interest is exactly what in-house interviewers value. Commercial mindset, pragmatism and business partnership are the goal.
FAQs
- What do companies look for in an in-house interview? A commercially aware, pragmatic lawyer who understands the business, advises practically, communicates well with non-lawyers, and genuinely cares about the company and industry.
- How is an in-house interview different from a firm interview? It weighs commercial mindset, pragmatism, communication and business understanding more heavily than pure technical depth. You are being assessed as a business partner.
- How do I show commercial value in an in-house interview? Demonstrate pragmatic, risk-sensible thinking that helps the business move, understand the company’s business and industry, and frame your experience around business value.
- What are common in-house interview questions? “Why in-house / why us?” handling a practical business issue, balancing risk and enabling the business, and working with non-lawyers. Prepare pragmatically.
- I’m moving in-house from a firm; how do I prepare? Reframe your firm experience in business terms, show commercial and pragmatic thinking, and convey that you can be a business partner, not just a technical expert.
Thank you for reading!
If you found this article helpful, explore more resources from YLCC and continue your legal learning journey.
