Emma Lilley was told that going in-house early would damage her legal career. But the conventional route already felt like a place where she didn't belong.

Growing up in a working-class family in Stoke-on-Trent, Emma had no family roadmap into law. She originally wanted to study music. When that plan fell through, an available university place led her to a law degree, where she found herself trying to understand things other students seemed to know already.

In this conversation with Neal Goldstein, the solicitor behind In-house Potter and founder of InHOCO shares how discovering in-house legal work changed her relationship with the profession. She talks about the criticism she faced, the people who took a chance on her, and why her upbringing became one of her greatest strengths.

There is also an unexpected encounter with Jimmy Carr in Starbucks before a legal exam, a candid discussion about AI and junior lawyer training, and a closer look at the human skills that help lawyers make a difference inside a business.

Emma explains how her community supported her campaign for regional solicitor admission ceremonies and why making those milestones accessible matters to families. At the end, she remembers the grandfather she wishes could have seen what that campaign achieved.

Along the way, Neal and Emma explore the difference between pursuing a career that earns other people's approval and building one that feels right to you.

Find Emma Lilley on LinkedIn and Instagram at @emmalilleylaw, and explore In-house Potter and InHOCO.

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