Hi there! It’s Heather Stevenson.
Happy Wednesday and thanks for being here! Here’s what’s covered in today’s issue:
A word from today’s sponsor, Streamline AI;
6 Hidden Ways Talented Lawyers Get Stuck;
Links you’ll love;
And More.
Let’s dive in.
In partnership with:
Most in-house legal teams use AI, but only 1 in 5 have audit trails for AI-assisted work.
On June 25th, Streamline AI is bringing together leaders from Harvey, PostSig, Dentons, and Differential Ventures for a Q&A panel on AI for modern legal teams.
And you’re invited!
The panelists will discuss how to:
Realign relationships with outside counsel as AI disrupts traditional billing models
Redefine in-house value by shifting the focus away from administrative efficiency
Effectively audit vendor ecosystems
Secure internal buy-in from security leadership
And if you’re curious, benchmark your team’s current AI Maturity against other in-house teams with our proprietary AI Maturity Index.
Deep Dive
Here's what's surprising about career stalls in in-house legal: the lawyers it happens to most are often the talented ones. They are smart, reliable, highly competent people who built a strong reputation early and then, without quite realizing it, stopped evolving.
In-house legal has more room for career growth than it used to. The GC seat is increasingly one of the most influential roles in a company, and the path to it is more viable than it's ever been. But that opportunity doesn't come automatically. It comes to the lawyers who understand that what made them excellent in the first few years of their career is not the same thing that will make them exceptional in the next chapter.
The 6 patterns below are the ones I’ve see most often in lawyers I've worked with, lawyers I've mentored, and in myself at various points. They're subtle enough that you can fall into them while believing you're doing everything right. That's what makes them worth paying attention to.
1. They take on anything and everything.
It's easy to confuse completing tasks with making an impact. Lawyers tend to be helpers by nature, so when anyone asks us for anything, our instinct is to say yes. Sometimes we go further and spot problems (that may or may not relate to our jobs, or matter to the company) and take them on as our own.
That's how you become a highly responsive mid-level service provider who never quite gets to the work that actually moves you forward.
Instead, get clear on what the business is trying to accomplish and dedicate your time and energy toward that. Sometimes that means triaging inbound requests by how directly they connect to key priorities. Other times it means proactively seeking out where legal can drive real impact. Either way, you're choosing intentionally, rather than just reacting and responding.
2. They provide legal analysis, when what is needed is a clear recommendation.
As an in-house lawyer, you were hired for your legal expertise and skill. But opening every conversation with your legal analysis is the fast path to getting stuck.
Executives don't need a thorough comparison of approaches. They need someone who has already done that work and can tell them what to do.
The highest-impact lawyers still do the full analysis. They weigh every pro and con, factor in business goals, and consider the downside scenarios. But that's their process, not their deliverable. What they hand the business is a clear recommendation that reflects everything they worked through to get there.
Stay in "here are your options" mode too long, and that's the role you'll be known for.
