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
Senior Associate / Counsel from Private Practice
12-16 years PQESkills to master
- Transitioning from advising multiple clients to focusing on a single organisational client, understanding internal politics, and developing in-house team management skills.
You're ready to move on when
- Extensive experience leading complex investigations for diverse clients.
- Demonstrated ability to manage junior lawyers and case teams.
- Strong client relationship management skills, including budget discussions.
- A clear desire to move into an in-house leadership role.
- 2
Lead Investigations Counsel (Internal Promotion)
8-12 years PQE, with 3-5 years as Lead CounselSkills to master
- Moving from architecting individual cases to managing a portfolio of cases and a team, developing strategic oversight, and engaging with executive leadership.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently delivered high-quality, defensible investigation outcomes.
- Proven ability to mentor and develop junior team members.
- Initiated and led process improvements within the investigations function.
- Exhibited strong judgment and decision-making in ambiguous situations.
- 3
Regulatory Enforcement Lawyer (from FCA/SFO)
12-16 years PQESkills to master
- Adapting from a prosecutorial/enforcement mindset to an in-house defence and risk mitigation role, understanding commercial pressures, and building internal stakeholder relationships.
You're ready to move on when
- Significant experience leading complex regulatory investigations and enforcement actions.
- Deep understanding of regulatory processes and expectations.
- Ability to translate regulatory requirements into practical business advice.
- A desire to apply enforcement experience in a proactive, preventative capacity.