The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Lead Employment Rights Specialist (Internal Promotion)
3-5 years as a LeadSkills to master
- Mastering team leadership, developing new client relationships, taking ownership of high-stakes matters, and contributing to strategic initiatives beyond your immediate caseload.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led 2-3 significant client engagements from start to finish, demonstrating commercial awareness.
- Consistently exceeded individual and team billable hour targets.
- Proactively identified and won new business opportunities for the firm.
- Received strong positive feedback from direct reports and senior leadership on your mentorship and leadership abilities.
- 2
Principal Employment Consultant (External Hire)
5-8 years as a Principal ConsultantSkills to master
- Demonstrating expertise in a specific niche of employment law, leading complex projects (e.g., pay equity audits), and acting as a key internal expert, often with some client relationship responsibilities.
You're ready to move on when
- Recognised as a leading expert in a specific area of employment law (e.g., TUPE, discrimination, executive exits).
- Successfully managed a portfolio of key clients and delivered significant revenue.
- Developed and delivered training programmes or thought leadership content.
- Proven ability to operate autonomously and manage complex legal projects.
- 3
Senior In-house Counsel (Employment, External Hire)
5-10 years in-houseSkills to master
- Gaining deep commercial understanding of a specific industry, managing employment law risk from an internal client perspective, and overseeing external counsel. This path brings a different perspective on legal service delivery.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully managed all employment law matters for a large, complex organisation.
- Proven ability to advise senior leadership on strategic employment issues.
- Managed and optimised relationships with external law firms.
- Demonstrated strong commercial judgment in legal decision-making.