John Davis has been on both sides of the in-house attorney hiring fence. He was general counsel of three different public companies in Dallas–Carreker Corp., a software and consulting company; Dave & Buster's Inc. restaurant chain; and Cameron Ashley Building Products Inc. He also was an in-house counsel for Electronic Data Systems and earlier, a law firm attorney.

In his new role, he recruits lawyers for senior in-house positions as a managing director based in Dallas for legal search firm Major Lindsey & Africa. He draws on his own career experiences both to help companies set expectations for the candidates they consider and to help motivate good candidates to make a career change.

“I understand how business people think and what they are looking for in a lawyer and I understand how candidates think and what they are looking for in a career move,” Davis says.

What the business people are looking for, Davis says, is someone who understands the realities of commerce and will help move the business ahead rather than being a roadblock. Often they focused on finding someone with experience in their industry. They tend to diminish the importance of legal training and technical skills.

“We look for a balance and try to educate clients that good legal training and technical quality is just as important as someone who has experience in your business,” he says. “I've learned from my own career moves that a good lawyer who is a quick study can make a change between industries.”

Candidates for in-house positions almost always think they have good business sense and the capability of being a business facilitator rather than a naysayer, but that's not always the case, Davis says.

“The reality is that there is a spectrum of lawyers –some who can be very good business people and others who are good technicians without a business perspective,” he says. The ideal candidate has both.

Davis offers this advice to in-house attorneys looking to make a career move: “Keep doing a good job at what you are doing. Don't lose sight of what is going on in your company. Have a story to tell about your role in the process. Be able to describe your relationship with the CEO or COO and what you have done to be part of the team.”

And he also advises being flexible about making a move if possible.

“The more open you are to geography, the more opportunities will be open to you,” he says.

John Davis has been on both sides of the in-house attorney hiring fence. He was general counsel of three different public companies in Dallas–Carreker Corp., a software and consulting company; Dave & Buster's Inc. restaurant chain; and Cameron Ashley Building Products Inc. He also was an in-house counsel for Electronic Data Systems and earlier, a law firm attorney.

In his new role, he recruits lawyers for senior in-house positions as a managing director based in Dallas for legal search firm Major Lindsey & Africa. He draws on his own career experiences both to help companies set expectations for the candidates they consider and to help motivate good candidates to make a career change.

“I understand how business people think and what they are looking for in a lawyer and I understand how candidates think and what they are looking for in a career move,” Davis says.

What the business people are looking for, Davis says, is someone who understands the realities of commerce and will help move the business ahead rather than being a roadblock. Often they focused on finding someone with experience in their industry. They tend to diminish the importance of legal training and technical skills.

“We look for a balance and try to educate clients that good legal training and technical quality is just as important as someone who has experience in your business,” he says. “I've learned from my own career moves that a good lawyer who is a quick study can make a change between industries.”

Candidates for in-house positions almost always think they have good business sense and the capability of being a business facilitator rather than a naysayer, but that's not always the case, Davis says.

“The reality is that there is a spectrum of lawyers –some who can be very good business people and others who are good technicians without a business perspective,” he says. The ideal candidate has both.

Davis offers this advice to in-house attorneys looking to make a career move: “Keep doing a good job at what you are doing. Don't lose sight of what is going on in your company. Have a story to tell about your role in the process. Be able to describe your relationship with the CEO or COO and what you have done to be part of the team.”

And he also advises being flexible about making a move if possible.

“The more open you are to geography, the more opportunities will be open to you,” he says.