From firm to business: Making the move in-house

We spoke with three SHIFT Advisory lawyers — Lisa Holt, John Hanson and Bianca Miller — about their journeys from firms to in-house roles, and what they’ve learned along the way.

Why go in-house?

For Bianca Miller, the pull came early. While working in litigation at a large firm, she found herself drawn to a client she particularly enjoyed working with — Telecom. “I thought, that’s the kind of organisation I’d like to be part of,” she recalls. After an initial setback, she gained some internal experience at Auckland City Council, reapplied to Telecom, and secured the role. She went on to spend years there, through restructures, leadership changes, and even a stint in a non-legal role.

Lisa Holt took a less conventional route. After starting in law, she moved into commercial, research, and sales positions and thought she had left the profession behind. But a chance meeting with a colleague brought her to SHIFT. Six years on, she has taken in-house assignments across financial services, healthcare IT, banking, and logistics. “I’ve been able to use not only my legal skills, but also my broader professional background to help clients,” she says.

For John Hanson, the attraction is the opportunity to build deeper relationships across a business. “You become more of a true adviser — not just producing advice, but helping people apply it and move things forward.”

The best part of being in-house

A common theme across all three is the satisfaction of seeing how things play out. In private practice, lawyers often hand over advice or close a deal and never know what happened next. In-house, you’re there for the entire journey.

For Bianca, it’s the variety and visibility: “Start to finish, you’re part of the outcome — and that’s hugely rewarding.”

Lisa agrees, describing each assignment as “a new adventure” where she gets to meet people, learn about new industries, and help clients overcome challenges.

John highlights the sense of impact: “In-house, you stay with the issue, help resolve it, and see the outcome.”

How does it differ from private practice?

The differences are both technical and cultural.

“In law firms, the training is unparalleled,” says John. “The constant scrutiny teaches you to think like a lawyer — to prioritise, to identify what matters, and to handle risk.” But in-house, the risk lens is much broader. “Legal risk is just one part of a picture that includes revenue, products, and strategy.”

Bianca emphasises the mindset shift. “In private practice, it’s about risk and technical accuracy. In-house, you have to understand the business’s appetite for risk and work backwards from what the business is trying to achieve. Sometimes good enough, fast enough is what’s needed.”

Advice for lawyers considering the move

All three stress the importance of choosing wisely and being adaptable.

John advises younger lawyers to pick an organisation where they can continue to be challenged. “If you move in-house too early without good mentoring, you risk missing the polish that private practice gives. One thing about being earlier on in a legal career is your point of focus tends to be close to you, and you can be buried by detail which all seems important. But with time, it’s like learning to drive — early on, you’re focused on the bit of road in front of you, but with experience you look further ahead and focus on the destination.”

Bianca offers a series of practical lessons: choosing an industry you’re genuinely interested builds confidence by starting somewhere familiar; but stay open-minded – some industries may surprise you with interesting work; embrace the 80/20 rule; and don’t underestimate the value of private practice training. She also highlights contracting as a way to broaden your experience and prove how transferable your skills are.

Lisa underlines the importance of culture and curiosity. “Pick a company whose purpose and values you can connect with. Be curious, ask questions, and make the legal function accessible and integral to the business. If you thrive on seeing what happens next and being part of a team’s journey, you’ll love in-house.”

Final thoughts

The shift from private practice to in-house is more than a career move — it’s a change in perspective. It’s about stepping into the flow of a business, building relationships, and balancing legal risk against broader commercial realities. For those who make the leap, the rewards include variety, visibility, and the chance to play a tangible part in a business’s success.