Going In-House: The Corporate Counsel Path
When to leave a firm, what companies look for, and the trade-offs of in-house life.
Going in-house means transitioning from working for a law firm where you are the product, to a corporation where you are a cost center supporting the actual product.
The Transition Timing
The optimal time to transition is typically between years 3 and 6 of BigLaw practice. At this point, you have sufficient training to operate independently, but you haven't priced yourself out of corporate budgets.
Compensation Reality
Going in-house generally involves a 30-50% cut in base salary compared to the Cravath scale, but offers stock options/RSUs and a much more predictable 40-50 hour work week.