Several years ago, law firms reported a trend of lawyers leaving for other companies, taking on in-house legal positions within those companies, and even non-legal roles. The phenomenon was particularly common in tech companies but was also seen in commercial businesses.
Over the past year, however, the trend appears to have reversed. Some lawyers are now leaving corporations and returning to private practice at large law firms. The firms, for their part, are happy to welcome back professionals who have gained valuable experience within corporations. Three lawyers who recently made this transition spoke with "Globes" about their decisions.
Adv. Yaniv Aronowich joined Epstein Rosenblum Maoz (ERM) last month after working as Chief Legal Officer at accessiBe for four years, an Israeli company that developed technology enabling people with disabilities to access websites.
Today, he is a partner in the firm’s high-tech and venture capital team. He explains that the move stemmed from a desire for variety.
"I missed seeing the tech world from 30,000 feet, getting a look at a variety of companies. Today I have clients from all sorts of sectors - fintech, AI, and cybersecurity. The potential of these fields is endless.
The advantage of being in a law firm is that you get a bird’s eye view of the market, with many types of clients. I missed seeing the broader picture. At the end of the day, when you work in a company, it’s just one company. I think that today I bring to the firm the mindset and temperament of a startup."
"Inside a company, you’re one of the decision-makers"
This month marks Aronowich’s 20th year as a lawyer. He is married with three daughters and began his career as an intern and junior associate in the office of the late attorney Yaakov Weinroth. He later joined the firm of Dr. David Tadmor, where he became a partner in mergers and acquisitions, primarily in the tech sector. During his work there, he represented accessiBe after its first funding round, and the company later offered him the in-house position.
"I spent 15 years at Tadmor, an excellent firm, but I felt there was an opportunity to join a company where we already knew each other well, for better or worse."
On his time at accessiBe he says:
"Seeing a company from the inside is eye-opening. We’re used to working in an environment where everyone is a lawyer, and suddenly you’re in a company with development, product, marketing, and finance teams. As external counsel, you give advice and go home. Inside a company, you’re part of the people making the decisions. It develops your business instincts and your ability to manage risk. I’m leaving after four years as an in-house lawyer as a much better attorney than when I entered."
Adv. Tami Firon, Firon Law Firm managing partner says recently, "We have quite often seen in-house counsel from companies for interviews with us. Recently, we met three candidates from different companies who were considering moving back to private practice. It is natural to see a cyclical movement of lawyers who move to companies, gain business experience, and after several years return to the law firm market."
"It’s far from trivial," says Adv.Miki Barnea, head of Barnea Jaffa Lande. "A law firm is an organization of service providers, and someone who has been inside a company disconnects from that mentality. Someone coming from a senior corporate role will want to integrate into a firm at a senior level as well at minimum as a partner. Becoming an equity partner is difficult for someone coming from an advisory environment. The transition from in-house legal work back to law firms usually happens where a unique expertise was developed during the corporate role."
Adv. Gil White, Herzog Fox & Neeman managing partner adds that the transition from in-house positions back to law firms is from a desire for employment stability alongside the variety of work available at large firms.
"Market volatility has made clear that job security at established firms is a major consideration for many lawyers. In a large firm, attorneys are exposed to a wide range of clients, sectors, and legal issues."
"Professional burnout and hitting a glass ceiling"
On the reasons behind the trend, Firon says one of the main factors is: "A feeling of professional burnout and encountering a glass ceiling when the path to becoming chief legal counsel is either very long or blocked."
Another reason relates to the nature of the work. She adds, "Working within a company can be very focused. You deal with the same field, the same activity, and the same challenges. Some advisors want to be exposed to a broader range of companies again, transactions, industries, and to regain a wider perspective on the market."
Adv. Efrat Cohen, a lawyer with 22 years of experience, joined Barnea Jaffa Lande as a senior partner in the regulatory department over the past year after holding a senior position at Bank Leumi. She served as head of regulation in the legal division and managed 10 lawyers, but chose to return to private practice.
"After almost eight years outside a law firm, the variety that a law firm gives you is unique to this world," Cohen says. "I now work with a variety of companies. Inside a company, you’re in one content world and deal with very specific issues. For clients, my experience is an added value."
Cohen also previously served as CEO of Pharma Israel, and began her legal career at Dr. Tadmor’s firm, where she advanced to head of the regulatory department and partner. Before that, she was an economics correspondent for Army Radio. On her decision to move from a law firm to a company, she says, "I wanted to experience the other side of the table. To get to know the business sector and experience work that wasn’t purely legal, work involving management aspects, decision-making, and budget management. To experience how a large organization operates.
"It gives you a different perspective from a lawyer who spends their entire career in a law firm. In a firm, you’re an external counsel advising on decision-making processes. But often you’re not part of the full process. There are sets of considerations you’re not necessarily exposed to."
Adv. Aronowich adds: "I have the perspective of someone who worked from the inside. It’s a completely different point of view."
Adv. Shani Weiss, now a partner in the litigation department at Gornitzky, interned at the firm, remained as an associate, and later became a partner. During the tech boom of 2021, and based on her military background in Unit 8200, she left to join the founding team of Curios AI, a biomedical startup, as VP of Strategy. She worked on business strategy, investor fundraising, and legal matters. She says, "I was curious to broaden my horizons and gain additional skills. I wanted the client’s perspective, and today I know it gave me better tools to provide better service to clients."
As careers progress, salary gaps narrow
After a year, Adv. Weiss received an offer to return to Gornitzky and accepted. "I missed legal work, and Gornitzky felt like home. I realized that first and foremost I’m a lawyer, and litigation runs through my veins. There was an element of returning home to family and friends that I love. Anyone who has the passion for litigation which is the most extreme side of law can’t live without it.
"After seeing what happens from the inside, I understand the conduct, the interests, and the ecosystem. I know how to offer legal and litigation-based solutions to resolve disputes and crises across different companies."
And what about pay?
The lawyers say it varies greatly. Young lawyers can often achieve higher salaries in companies, but as lawyers become more senior and advance to partnership, the gaps tend to narrow.
According to Adv. Firon, over the long term, law firms offer greater earning potential, especially for those who advance to partnership positions.
She says, "The combination of business experience gained inside a company together with law firm work turns these lawyers into a significant asset. Someone returning to a law firm after serving in-house brings a deep understanding of the client’s needs, pressures, and decision-making processes and that is something firms know how to value."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on May 17, 2026.
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