The document discusses an in-house careers evening event. It provides summaries of four presentations: 1) What it means to be in-house today, 2) Working with boards on corporate governance, 3) Taking your career international, and 4) How to stand out from recruiters. It also discusses the current job market for in-house lawyers and what employers look for, including experience, education, skills, and cultural fit.

1. 2011
In-house
Careers
Evening

2. In-house Careers Evening
• What it means to be in-house today
David Cosgrave, Lecturer, The College of Law
• Working with boards – corporate governance and beyond
Laurence Street, General Manager, Major Transactions and
Governance, CSIRO
• Taking your career to the next level – working in an international
context
Chris Woodforde, Director and Consultant, Bridgewater Strategies
• How to stand out from the crowd – a recruiter’s perspective
Phillip Hunter, Principal Consultant, Carmichael Fisher

3. What it means to be in-house
today
David Cosgrave
Lecturer, In-house Program
The College of Law

4. Enhanced status?
• A falling tide – the GFC and the in-house
function.
• Closer to boards and senior management
• Why?
• C7, Harrington, Lehman Brothers
Australia, AKZO

5. Structural change
• Legal function follows organisation
structure
• Risk, regulation and corporate governance
• The revolution in legal processes

6. Integration
• Closer integration with the business =
more effective legal work
• Evidence of this – Sako & CBM/FTI
• Advantages and disadvantages

7. Regulatory Oversight
• The increasing breadth and depth of
regulatory oversight
• The regulatory ecosphere as a rationale
for an in-house legal function
• Liability – corporate & personal a concern
for directors

8. Risk and Corporate
Governance
• Going beyond the “hand brake” tag.
• Situational awareness - Know your risks
and how to manage them
• The in-house lawyer as an apostle of
corporate governance and risk
management.

9. Enhanced status – with a twist
• Enhanced status, but greater risks
• "To whom much has been given, much will
be expected"
• New skills and capabilities are required.

10. In-house Counsel & Boards –
Corporate Governance and
beyond
Laurence Street
General Manager, Major Transactions & Governance
CSIRO

11. Working with boards –
Understanding your role
• Identifying “below the line” proposals:
• Is it legal?
• Is it the right thing to do?
• The way you present information is critical
• Senior Corporate Leadership – strategic focus
• Project Management – transactional focus

12. The in-house lawyer as risk
manager
• Legal risk assessments typically overstate
the likelihood and consequences of legal
risk
• Low probability / High consequence
• Assess separately enterprise risk from project risk
• Enhancing the „resilience‟ of a decision
• Preparedness vs tick box

13. Influencing, Facilitating &
Judgment
• The power of agenda setting and briefing
notes
• The Chair and the Chief Executive
• Boards and collegiate decision making
• Vs individual director duties

14. Making Yourself Stand Out in
The Crowd – A Search
Consultant’s Perspective

15. Market Wrap
Australia has been fortunate in sidestepping a technical recession, but robust growth is still a way off.
The GFC has tested many businesses and their in-house legal departments
Since January 2011 we have seen strengthening prospects in sectors in line with the unique two-
speed Australian economy
Primary sectors of growth: Secondary sectors of growth:
- Construction - Utilities and Services
- Engineering - Government
- Infrastructure
- Mining and Resources Stable:
- Oil and Gas - IT/Tech/Telco/Prof Services/Health & Pharma
Other notable sectors of growth has been identified in:
- Banking (Retail and IB)
- Financial Services

16. Market Wrap (cont.)
‘Tightening-of-the-belt’ with regards to:
- Budget
- Head-count
- Future team growth
Overseas management with Australian based operations pushed to reduce spend.
Results of the past 36 months on the future of in-house legal:
- Increased innovation
- Push for tailored billing structures
- Employment modifications
Direct results on in-house lawyers:
- Moving back into private practice
- Moving into roles outside the „pure‟ legal function

17. Market Wrap (cont.)
The overseas ‘brain-drain,’ hot zones:
- Asia
- UK
Cold zones:
- North America
Conservative growth market + High quality candidates = Demand
(Reduced opportunities) + (Increased number of = (Competitive market)
highly skilled lawyers)
Employers Market – Employers get EXACTLY what they want... Even if it takes them a
little more time to find it.

18. What employers want in an
in-house lawyer?
What General Counsel seek:
- Broad corporate and commercial experience
- In-house / secondment experience
- Strong technical drafting skills
- Commercial acumen / solutions orientated
- Strong commercial / relationship building skills
- Leadership / Management skills
- Flexibility / Mobility Specifics: (as identified over the past 3 years)
- Further education and qualifications -Top-tier firm for ASX Listed / global organisations
- Personality / Cultural fit - Top-tier for Corporate Counsel roles (M&A, PE)
- Negotiation skills - Top-tier / Boutique for Banking and Fin Services
- Training skills - International experience for regional roles
- Communications skills - Specialist firms for IT, Media, Patent
And Employment Law

19. What employers want in an
in-house lawyer? (cont.)
How General Counsel search:
- Search / Recruitment firms (naturally)
- Secondments
- ACLA / CSA membership / Networking functions
- LinkedIn.com
- Referrals
Where General Counsel look:
-Top and mid-tier private practice
- Competitors or general industry body

20. What employers want in an
in-house lawyer? (cont.)
In firm label or your high flying supervising partners today's market you can no longer bank on your
top-tier reputation. You need to pack some considerable punch!
Keys areas to keep in mind:
Academics. Strong academics and/or honours. Undergraduate in Law with Commerce (Banking).
Further education. COLLAW‟s Masters of Applied Law: In-house Practice. CSA's Certificate in
Governance and Risk Management. Uni‟s Masters of Law or MBA or LMBA.
Experience level. Legal Counsel: 2-3 / 5-8. Senior Counsel: 10-12+. General Counsel: 12+.
Secondment experience. Understand the requirements & work in a commercial environment.

21. What employers want in an
in-house lawyer? (cont.)
Background/Rotations. Mixture of experience across departments then settling in suitable practice.
Practice experience. Corporate and commercial most relevant OR employment law for an ER/IR/HR
specialist role or construction for a construction role ... And so on.
Transaction list. What work and level you were involved in.
Associations. ACLA, Women Lawyers Associations, Young Lawyers, BFSLA.
Commercial acumen. Demonstrated experience , entrepreneurial, proactive, solutions orientated,
facilitator, enabler.
Cultural fit. Self-starters, autonomous, easy going, trusted advisors, friend-not-foe.

22. Once In-house – Where to
from Here?
Senior Counsel or General Counsel / Regional CSA, Masters of Applied Law – In-house Practice,
Counsel – most common route management experience, committee exposure
Commercial Manager Strong focus on projects, procurement and deal
facilitation. Business skills a must.
Specialist Legal Counsel – more common in eg Global M&A Counsel; regional role
globally decentralised legal structures (eg Diageo, Based in HQ. Masters of Law;
Cargill, RBS) Corporate

23. Once In-house – Where to
from Here? (cont.)
Company Secretariat CSA, experience in an ASX Listed environment
Management - COO, CEO, CIO, Board Management experience, strong relationships
building skills, financial skills, MBA
Compliance / Corporate Governance Manager CSA, Corporate Risk Management