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CANADIANLAWYERMAG.COM/INHOUSE MAY 2015
L a w D e p a r t m e n t M a n a g e m e n t
THE THINGS THAT tended to get a
lawyer noticed when they were at a law fi rm
many not necessarily be what gets them
promoted in the legal department once
they go in-house. Working long hours and
driving client satisfaction is part of it, to be
sure, but once a lawyer is in a corporate legal
function other factors and skill sets come
into play in terms of advancement.
Given a lawyer's typical drive towards
growth and advancement, landing in a
legal department where there is no visible
path to advancement can make it hard to
navigate the next step forward. "Generally
lawyers go to law school, they article, they
become an associate, then work towards
Beyond
succession
planning
The future of a legal team
should be about more
than just the top spot.
BY JENNIFER BROWN