The key ingredient to law firm success and security is, of course, client development. The "800 pound gorilla" with a major book of business calls the shots.

Success in a law department does not require rainmaking. However, inside counsel don't enjoy the same kind of ownership job security. They are vulnerable to mergers, leadership changes, bankruptcies, etc.

Most of our readers fully appreciate this dynamic, and are probably expecting me to pontificate now on the merits of networking in case you need or want to change corporate employers. Well, sort of.

I challenge you to think about this oft-covered topic differently, from the perspective of owning your future if necessary. You are in position now to build peer-to-peer relationships with other inside counsel in a way that law firm rainmakers can only envy. You can establish rapport with your counterparts at other companies in a context free of sales and expectations.

Consider this hypothetical: You are in your early 50s, you hold an Assistant General Counsel title, your company is acquired and your position is eliminated. You think you will easily land a similar or better position with another law department. You may, that is clearly Plan A. But you may find that you are overqualified for the Senior Counsel level positions at which many companies prefer to hire. And you may find that you are underqualified or not competing effectively for leadership level roles. Job security is about supply, demand, and marketability … it's not fully in your control.

However, if you have built real relationships with other inside counsel (not just your co-workers down the hall!), then you have power in what might otherwise feel like a powerless situation. Career security is about access to decision-makers, and your inside counsel counterparts control millions of dollars in outside counsel spend. Great contacts plus a business plan equal a soft and potentially lucrative landing when needed with a name brand law firm.

Let's first assume you have done the networking part: You have friends and peers at other companies with whom you have broken bread, shared best practices, and stayed in touch. Perhaps you have even spent time attending or speaking at one of the many inside counsel focused legal conferences. You have contacts and credibility.

Choose your law firm prospects based on the likely needs of your contacts, and not simply based on who you know. If those overlap, great, but it's not required. When presented with a promising business plan heavy on contact list names, many high quality law firms will listen. Propose a compensation package heavy on incentives. Bet on yourself. The lower the guaranteed draw or base salary, the more patience the law firm will have in supporting your client development efforts. Because even with great contacts and credibility, it will take time to turn relationships into engagements. Join a law firm that will invest in you the right way; this means a marketing allowance and the support of professionals who can offer coaching on how to turn your past into business for the future.

Mike Evers recruits attorneys for corporate legal departments throughout the United States. Visit www.everslegal.com. His firm also offers experienced in-house counsel to companies on an adjunct basis.