One of the perks of transitioning to in-house counsel, according to a recent article on Above the Law, is the sense of affirmation and satisfaction that comes with the role.
The author of the article, Meyling “Mey” Ly Ortiz, is currently in-house at Toyota Motor North America. She expresses her experiences in Biglaw where perfection was seemingly expected, and where smaller errors were generally cause for concern. This caused her days to be filled with thoughts of not messing up, general worries about her survival in the field and a sense of insecurity.
Ortiz claims the competitive nature of Biglaw did not help with what she believes possibly was a case of imposter syndrome. The necessity of outdoing her contemporaries in terms of billable hours or rainmaking in hopes of becoming a partner added to an overall feeling of dread and a lack of confidence.
However, all of this, according to Ortiz, changed when she shifted in-house. Her sense of insecurity disappeared. Now that she’s in-house, she often finds herself in a very engaged and fulfilling flow. The intellectual stimulation and challenges keep her motivated to help her client solve their problem, and she enjoys the feeling of being part of something more significant than just one issue.
Compliments and gratitude from colleagues and clients have become a vital source of affirmation that she not only knows what she’s doing but she excels at it. For Ortiz, this affirmation is invaluable.
Recounting her experiences, Meyling demonstrates an intriguing perspective on the transition from a Law firm to In-House counsel. Follow her experience as she continues to navigate her journey.