Not many years ago, in-house lawyers in the UK were looked down on as second-class citizens in the legal profession.

Now the rise of the modern in-house practitioner seems unstoppable.

It took the obvious realisation that they hold onto multi-million pound legal budgets to start bringing about a change of attitude, but now everyone wants a piece of them.

At the top end, legal directors of big companies or public authorities are in comparable positions to managing partners of large law firms.

The in-house sector has also proven a more welcoming option for women solicitors.

But the European Commission and some continental European bars have yet to be convinced.

As reported this week and last, there is still opposition to allowing in-house lawyers to enjoy the same legal professional privilege that their external counterparts have in relation to raids by the commission.

The European Parliament will shortly vote on a proposal to level the playing field.

Even if it succeeds, the move has to get through the Council of Ministers, where it has failed before.

It seems likely that change will come sooner rather than later.

The in-house sector - 20% of the UK profession - is set to join the mainstream with the government's support for relaxing the ban on it offering services to the public.

In a future with many more career paths for solicitors, the distinction between private practice and in-house may fade into history.