If I could go back in time, these are the 7 things I wish I'd known about working as a lawyer in-house, before I'd jumped out of private practice.

1. You won't be on your own

Coming from private practice, I'd had the notion that going in-house would mean me needing to have the answer to every query, without the support of experienced partners or colleagues. I was wrong. You're rarely completely on your own, and you can usually also call on external counsel.

2. You'll go broad as well as deep

In private practice you can get quickly pigeon-holed into very niche and specific areas of law. In-house you'll advise across a number of different legal areas. It can grow your technical breadth in ways not possible in private practice.

3. Risk will be central to your work

No longer is it for the client to determine it's risk tolerance. You are the client! Even if you have a separate risk / compliance function in-house, you'll need to become comfortable with judging risks, taking decisions about them and dealing with the practicalities of mitigating them.

4. Influential communication is key

In a matrixed organisation you'll be reporting to a number of diverse stakeholders. Developing your communication and presentation skills to not merely inform but to influence can help elevate your internal status to that of trusted advisor.

5. You'll hone your PR skills

In business, the legal department can sometimes be seen as a bottleneck or blocker to getting business done. By presenting solutions to legal risks and working with the business to unblock difficulties, you can help others see the value of the legal team and bolster its reputation as a business enhancing function.

6. You'll become a business cost

In moving in-house you'll cross over an unseen line from income-generating lawyer to (rather expensive) cost to the business. You'll need to develop a new understanding of the value you bring to the business, and depending on your seniority, an understanding of budget management and cost-saving.

7. You're in control of your career

By shifting from private practice to an in-house role for the first time, I realised that it was actually me that controlled my career. Not law firm partners, or the traditional (up or out) model of law firm career progression. I could (and did) chose my own path - and taking that first role in-house opened up a whole new world of career possibilities.

Could it do the same for you?