About two-thirds of companies fill general counsel positions with external candidates, which shows a changing trend in in-house legal department hiring practices. The reasoning typically cited for searching for candidates outside the company is that counsel already in-house lack leadership skills or business acumen, according to John Gilmore of BarkerGilmore, a company that assists companies in finding general counsel. 

Tom Scolaro, founder of Scolaro Law, left his job at a boutique law firm to found his own personal injury law firm earlier this year. Scolaro writes about navigating the change, incorporating his firm, and shares some observations to anyone interested in leaving their firm jobs and  starting a law firm. 

Making the move from deputy general counsel to general counsel is a huge and difficult leap due to limited positions amidst a crowded competitive field of potential candidates from both within the company and outside the company. Christopher Williams, director of in-house counsel recruiting and board services teams at Major, Lindsey & Africa, advises aspiring general counsel on how to best position themselves for the top job with the following: