This lunchtime webinar challenges the idea that there is only one way to have an in-house legal career.
Our panel of experienced lawyers will share how they have shaped their careers on their own terms — whether through traditional in-house roles, fractional and portfolio working, sector-switching, or finding flexibility in how, where and for whom they work. Topics to be explored include:
- The many forms an in-house career can take — from permanent roles to fractional General Counsel arrangements
- How to identify what you want from an in-house career and build towards it intentionally
- Navigating career progression and reinvention across different sectors and organisations
- The rise of fractional and portfolio legal work — what it is, who it suits and how to make it work
- Balancing commercial impact with personal priorities such as flexibility, autonomy and work-life integration
Attendees will leave with:
- A broader and more inspiring picture of what an in-house legal career can look like beyond the traditional model
- Practical insights from lawyers who have taken varied and non-linear paths — including fractional GC roles, sector moves and senior leadership positions across global organisations
- Honest perspectives on how to make in-house working work for you — whether your priority is flexibility in hours, industry, type of engagement or career trajectory
- Tools and confidence to be more intentional about shaping your own in-house career
- The opportunity to hear from a diverse panel with a combined experience of over 50 years across financial services, fintech, technology, FMCG, media and beyond
Why Is This Event Important?
The in-house legal market is evolving rapidly, and with it, the ways in which lawyers can engage with and thrive within it. Yet the conversation around in-house careers is often narrowly focused on the traditional permanent, full-time role. This event is important because it opens up that conversation — shining a light on the full spectrum of in-house opportunities available to lawyers today, including the growing world of fractional and portfolio working. At a time when lawyers are increasingly seeking greater autonomy, flexibility and purpose in their careers, this panel offers real-world proof that it is possible to make an in-house career work entirely on your own terms.
This event is aimed at:
- Lawyers in private practice considering a move in-house, whether on a permanent or fractional basis
- In-house lawyers at any stage of their career who are looking to reimagine or redefine what their career could look like
- Lawyers curious about fractional, portfolio or interim in-house working and how to get started
- Legal professionals seeking greater flexibility, autonomy or variety in how they practise
- Anyone who wants to be more intentional about shaping an in-house career that truly works for them
Chair:
Joyce Lam, Director, Counsel, Western Union
Joyce works at Western Union as a Director, Legal, as lead business legal counsel for commercial and regulatory matters for the UK and Nordics. She has 10+ years’ experience in the financial services sector, with past commercial and expansion-focused in-house roles at Zing by HSBC and Checkout.com.
Panelists:
Rosalind Marsh, Senior Legal Counsel in the EU commercial team at PayPal.
Rosalind is a commercial lawyer with 14 years’ experience working in-house, predominantly in financial services and fintech. She is currently Senior Legal Counsel in the EU commercial team at PayPal.
Bethany Rugen, Senior Legal Counsel, HSBC UK
Bethany currently advises HSBC UK as a Senior Legal Counsel in the retail banking team. She has 13 years’ experience across the financial services and fintech sector. Her practice focuses on regulatory advisory work, in particular payments, data privacy and financial regulation.
Merley Okine, Founder, Okadi Legal
Merley Okine is the founder of Okadi Legal, working as a fractional General Counsel for scaling businesses. She has over 20 years of experience spanning private practice and senior in-house roles across FMCG, pharma, technology, media and financial services, with past GC and senior counsel positions at Ebiquity plc, Suntory Beverage & Food, Tate & Lyle and Airbnb.
This event is hosted and sponsored by SCL and organised by the SCL In House Lawyers Group.
Administration notes:
This event is free to attend and open to all SCL members. To book your place please click here.
This event has been made free for everybody to increase access and to support the legal community. If you would like to support SCL’s work as an educational charity, please consider making a donation by buying SCL a coffee or becoming an SCL member to gain full access to all our online training content.
Joining details:
You will receive the Zoom link on the morning of the event.
Recording:
This event will be recorded and the recording will be available to delegates shortly afterward.
Booking terms and conditions:
Please refer to SCL’s full event terms and conditions here.
Non-members wishing to join the Society are entitled to membership of the Society valid for 12 months from the date of payment including full access to the content of the SCL website www.scl.org plus notification of future SCL events. The cost of an annual SCL membership is £190.00. If you have any queries about SCL membership please contact the SCL office on Tel: 07948 517049 or Email: hello@scl.org
Free membership for trainee lawyers and UK students: SCL provides free membership for trainee lawyers until qualification and for UK students in full-time education with a valid ac.uk email address. Student members are eligible to attend SCL events at concessionary rates where a fee is applicable. Trainee members are entitled to attend SCL events at the standard members’ rate (the concessionary rate for UK students in full-time education does not apply). Trainees and UK students in full-time education can apply to join SCL for free by emailing hello@scl.org Society for Computers and Law A company limited by guarantee 1133537 Registered Charity No. 266331 VAT Registration No. 115 4840 85 Registered in England and Wales Registered office: Unit 4.5, Paintworks, Arnos Vale, Bristol, BS4 3EH.