In this exclusive Openli Community interview, we’re joined by Ammier Bull-Hansen Sarhan, VP of Global Expansion at reMarkable, for an inspiring conversation about career transitions and the untapped potential of a legal background.
Hosted by Openli’s CEO Stine Mangor, the interview gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how Ammier moved beyond his traditional legal path as General Counsel (GC) at Aize and into a senior strategic role driving global growth.
Ammier’s journey defies convention.
While many inhouse Legal professionals remain within legal departments throughout their careers, Ammier leveraged his background to branch into global expansion.
It's not only possible to transition but also highly valuable - especially when your legal training equips you with skills like risk management, stakeholder communication, and structured decision-making:
“You’re used to building consensus, weighing up risks, and helping others make informed decisions - skills that are just as relevant outside the legal function.” Ammier Bull-Hansen Sarhan
1. Look Beyond Your Job Title
Many of Ammier’s career shifts were enabled by joining companies undergoing change - startups, demergers, or growth phases - where agility was key and departments weren’t siloed.
These environments provided space to contribute beyond legal, helping him transition naturally into broader roles. As Ammier said, this is something that many working inhouse legal can do.
2. Leverage Your Legal Skill Set
Whether it’s international expansion, operations, or people strategy, Ammier emphasized that legal professionals already possess critical skills - especially in risk assessment and decision-making - that translate across domains.
So remember that: You can leverage your legal skills to many different aspects & careers.
3. Embrace the Unknown
Making a move away from law can be daunting.
It’s OK to have self-doubt, especially when transitioning into a role that hasn’t previously existed. However, the willingness to learn, stay humble, and take on unfamiliar tasks are invaluable.
“If it all fails, I can always go back to legal. But what’s a year going to cost? Just try - it might open doors you never imagined.” – Ammier
4. Look for New Roles in New Settings
Rather than waiting for a formal internal promotion, Ammier recommends actively looking outside your organization - especially for newly created roles or those in companies undergoing transformation.
These are more likely to embrace alternative profiles like legal professionals.
5. Measure Success Differently
In legal roles, success is often tied to contract reviews or compliance tasks.
In strategic roles, success might be measured by project outcomes, stakeholder alignment, or market entry milestones. Ammier’s advice: don’t shy away from these new benchmarks - lean into them.
When asked what types of roles legal professionals might consider, Ammier pointed to operations, global expansion, chief of staff positions, and other cross-functional leadership roles - particularly in companies going through major transitions.
His advice? Start by understanding the context of the business. Look for roles that emphasize risk, coordination, and advisory - these are natural fits for legal profiles.
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