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The In-House Legal Community
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House Rules
Herald
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| Vol. I · No. 01 |
London · Sept 2026 |
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This week we're answering the question we hear most from students: how do you get in-house experience before you have any in-house experience?
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Keep it in-house
The Job Ready Checklist
Every in-house job spec asks for the same five things. Here is how to start ticking them off on House Rules, for free, before you have ever set foot in a legal team.
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01
Familiarity with contracts
Every in-house role involves contracts. Reviewing them, drafting them, negotiating them. The Practice Room puts you in real scenarios, including a live NDA under time pressure, so you know what it actually feels like before day one.
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02
Commercial awareness
Knowing which sector you want to work in, and why, is the foundation of commercial awareness. The sector quiz matches you to your best-fit industry in five questions. Then the jargon buster teaches you the language of that sector, so you can speak it confidently in an interview.
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03
Understanding of legal pathways
Interviewers want to know you understand how qualification works, and that you have thought seriously about your route. Pathways into Law maps every route to becoming a solicitor, including SQE, CILEX and apprenticeships.
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04
Ability to communicate with stakeholders
In-house lawyers advise real people inside a business, not external clients. Day 1 In-House walks you through the soft skills nobody teaches. Writing the right email, knowing when to escalate, and how to say no without damaging a relationship.
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What job to look for
Not every in-house legal role says lawyer or paralegal in the title. Contract analyst, rights manager, business affairs executive, compliance officer. These are all legal-adjacent roles that can get your foot in the door. Our guide breaks the titles down by sector so you know exactly what to look for.
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NEW PODCAST EPISODE
Jasmine McGregor
Corporate Counsel
Jasmine had never considered art law. She knew nobody in the art world. She just thought it sounded interesting, and that was enough. Now Corporate Counsel at Christie's, she qualified via Accutrainee while studying for the SQE part-time across employment, planning and art law seats.
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“You have no idea what you are going to love until you try it.”
Jasmine McGregor
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TOP TIPS
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Rejection is not personal. Resilience is what makes you stand out. |
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Network relentlessly. The art law world is small and people remember names. |
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Connect with people who have the job you want. Their feed becomes your education. |
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Look up the Art Lawyers Association for events and newsletters. |
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Do not be so hard on yourself. It works out. |
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I started House Rules to widen access to in-house legal careers. This is only possible if we challenge barriers to entry and gate-keeping. You don't need any prior experience to pick one thing from the Checklist. In doing so, you're building capabilities for your perfect-fit in-house role with passion and purpose.
Hannah
Founder, House Rules
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House Rules
The In-House Legal Community · houseruleslaw.com
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© House Rules 2026
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