Career advice
In-house vs private practice in 2026: what people are really weighing
Salary is only part of it. Here's what lawyers are actually talking about in confidential chats this year.
Maryam · 6 min ·
Every year we hear the same surface line: in-house for lifestyle, private practice for money. Reality is messier, and more interesting.
In-house candidates ask about influence, access to the business, and whether legal is treated as a partner or a cost centre. Private practice candidates ask about specialism depth, client ownership, and sustainable utilisation.
Neither path is automatically calmer. A high-growth start-up counsel role can be more intense than a well-run mid-market firm. The right move depends on what you want to own in three years, not just what you want to escape next month.
When we work with candidates, we map motivations before vacancies. That is how lasting placements happen.
