The title afforded them a special status in that the family was entitled to promotion both as Urinke and meika (an upper rank of kuge, or court noble), enabling family members to be promoted from the position of Konoe no Jisho (vice-minister of the Palace Guards) to that of benkan (official of the dajokan, or Grand Council of State), and still hold an additional post such as that of sangi (councilor).
近衛次将から弁官に昇進して参議を兼ねるという羽林家と名家(公家)の昇進過程を併せ持つ特殊な家であった。