Deep Dive
Key skills for in-house lawyers go beyond the law, and beyond knowing the business . . .
Have you ever noticed how some in-house lawyers seem to thrive, while others with equally strong legal skills—and sometimes even equally strong business acumen—never quite gain the trust and appreciation of their colleagues, or seem to enjoy the work they’re doing?
I’ve noticed it. And I’ve paid attention to what separates the two.
In Partnership With:
2026 Legal Friction Benchmark Report
We asked nearly 500 business professionals about their experiences working with their in-house legal teams. The responses were telling (and at times, appalling)! 66% of respondents bypass formal legal channels at least occasionally. 55% say a legal delay cost them a deal this year. Even 52% of C-suite leaders have limited visibility into legal's queue. Streamline AI's 2026 Legal Friction Report outlines what's broken and how to fix it. Download now →
I’ve written before about developing a growth mindset, intentionally increasing your visibility across the organization, and writing better updates. This issue is about four more non-legal skills that will help you thrive in-house.
1. Well-Developed Metacognition
Fifteen years ago, as a junior associate at a large firm, any email from a partner became my highest priority the second it hit my inbox. . . before I'd even finished reading it. That wasn't entirely irrational. Partners were important and about as close to a "boss" as a firm associate has.
But when I actually stopped to examine that instinct, I realized it was more reflexive than logical. Yes, for all sorts of reasons, I needed to acknowledge partner emails promptly. But was a request for something that wasn't urgent important enough to bump a filing due the next morning, or drop an urgent ask from the senior associate I worked for every day? No. It shouldn't have been.
That's metacognition: catching yourself mid-reaction and asking whether the reaction makes sense, or is just a habit.
To be clear, I'm not saying instinct is always wrong, or that you should second-guess every decision you make all day. Most of your instincts, especially the ones built over years of practice, are worth trusting. But some of them may be based on habit, or anxiety, or something other than the goal of getting to the best possible outcome.
