Practitioners from corporate law departments and law firms alike may find some common ground and points of reflection within the communication of Meyling “Mey” Ly Ortiz, who, despite her evident passion for her in-house role at Toyota Motor North America, recently admitted to missing a few aspects of firm life. In her recent write-up “3 Things I Miss About Law Firm Life” for Above the Law, Ortiz highlighted three main points that particularly caught her attention.
The first one concerns the presence of an Administrative Assistant. In her years at private practice, Ortiz shared an administrative assistant with three other attorneys. This individual conveniently assisted with a wide range of duties, ranging from mundane tasks like document formatting to personal ones such as helping with Ortiz’s legal name change post-marriage. As an in-house counsel, however, Ortiz feels a marked difference in administrative assistance, sharing one assistant with ten attorneys in her group, and hesitating to ask for non-work-related help.
Secondly, Ortiz pointed out the stark difference in travel experience between firm and in-house life. Within a law firm context, it was common for her to travel business class and stay at luxury accommodations, while in-house roles call for more cost-effective choices. Ortiz, although ready to manage without travels, admitted to missing some of the perks of law firm life when she does need to travel.
Finally, Ortiz touched on her experience with Professional Development. She reminisced about the wide range of trainings she attended as a private practice associate, spanning areas such as deposition skills, public speaking, business development, and more. Contrarily, as in-house counsel, Ortiz notices a more limited scope for such opportunities.
While this account represents Ortiz’s personal feelings, it still offers important insights into the inherent contrasts of in-house and law firm environments and may serve as a valuable perspective for those contemplating a transition in their legal careers. Before embarking on a professional change, legal professionals may find it beneficial to consider these factors against their career aspirations and personal preferences.