In house legal jobs DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Relevant to my interests.

I was recently quoted $155 base (but potentially $225 all-in) for an AGC type position, corporate at a big suburban company.

"Entry-level" but they only hire people 5-10 years out.

No idea how it goes up after that but I expect not a ton. Interviewers suggested great work-life balance and culture but mediocre pay (for corporate attorneys that is) long term.

Hoping I can negotiate up from there as I am closer to 10 years put them 5.

Not bad at all. I wouldn't get hung up on 155k -- you're all in comp is around 225k and that's pretty good esp in this area where you have a lot of very qualified people willing to take in house jobs for a lot less AND you don't have a financial services industry to drive salaries up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends on which company and the seniority, but at 10 years out I've spoken to major fortune 500s in the area offering 120k or 150k. I make 180k in the government so it was a non starter.

NP but wow, that's it? Is that including bonus and any kind of stock options?

They were talking 5-10% bonuses; didn't even get to stock options bc for me going from 180k in cash comp to 120k + 12k in bonus just wasn't something I wanted to do no matter how good the stock options might have been. This was a company in the area in a "traditional" industry -- I imagine tech in house pays way better, but probably also harder to get in unless you're IP or have done significant tech deal work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an opportunity to go in house in DC. Any ideas what assistant general counsels make here?

Lots of variables, including industry and the specific company. The market is very competitive and if you're good and a known quantity, you can do very, very well but beware of some companies that are well-known to lowball then churn and burn in-house attys. Another pro tip to agree with the other jaded counsel earlier in this thread: don't count on your options ever being worth anything in an equity backed situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an opportunity to go in house in DC. Any ideas what assistant general counsels make here?

Lots of variables, including industry and the specific company. The market is very competitive and if you're good and a known quantity, you can do very, very well but beware of some companies that are well-known to lowball then churn and burn in-house attys. Another pro tip to agree with the other jaded counsel earlier in this thread: don't count on your options ever being worth anything in an equity backed situation.

NP here -- anyone willing to say which companies in the area have the lowball/churn and burn cycle? Fairly new to the area and in gov't which is meh -- always consider in house but don't know anything about it here. There's one company that appears to ALWAYS be looking -- Micron? Microtech -- can't even remember, something in the tech space. Are there others that people knowingly avoid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an opportunity to go in house in DC. Any ideas what assistant general counsels make here?

Lots of variables, including industry and the specific company. The market is very competitive and if you're good and a known quantity, you can do very, very well but beware of some companies that are well-known to lowball then churn and burn in-house attys. Another pro tip to agree with the other jaded counsel earlier in this thread: don't count on your options ever being worth anything in an equity backed situation.

What companies are known to churn and burn in house attorneys?

[Anonymous]

If you are 5-7 years, base of like 160-190 + bonus + equity is a good starting point, if you have a good niche and coming from BigLOL. More than that, it seems like 190-210 + bonus + equity is the norm. As stated earlier, massive competition with BigLOL refuges, as it is with government.

Also, many of those jerbs are outside the beltway, so living out there would be more reasonable. Would not come to DC for an in-house position, if others were available, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC in house salaries are very deflated due to massive oversupply of biglaw refugees. Especially with Cov and A&P doing tons of stealth layoffs lately.

What? BS on the "stealth layoffs".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC in house salaries are very deflated due to massive oversupply of biglaw refugees. Especially with Cov and A&P doing tons of stealth layoffs lately.

I can’t imagine cov doing stealth layoffs in this economy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are 5-7 years, base of like 160-190 + bonus + equity is a good starting point, if you have a good niche and coming from BigLOL. More than that, it seems like 190-210 + bonus + equity is the norm. As stated earlier, massive competition with BigLOL refuges, as it is with government.

Also, many of those jerbs are outside the beltway, so living out there would be more reasonable. Would not come to DC for an in-house position, if others were available, IMHO.

Thanks - I'm well past 7 years at BigLOL and have a niche practice and am a known quantity. But in talking to my contacts it looks like it would top out at 190 + bonus + equity. I want to stay in DC because of family.

[Anonymous]

Avoid Hewlett-Packard and in house at the big suburban consulting sweatshops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avoid Hewlett-Packard and in house at the big suburban consulting sweatshops.

What have you heard about HP? I have friends that have been there a long time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are 5-7 years, base of like 160-190 + bonus + equity is a good starting point, if you have a good niche and coming from BigLOL. More than that, it seems like 190-210 + bonus + equity is the norm. As stated earlier, massive competition with BigLOL refuges, as it is with government.

Also, many of those jerbs are outside the beltway, so living out there would be more reasonable. Would not come to DC for an in-house position, if others were available, IMHO.

Thanks - I'm well past 7 years at BigLOL and have a niche practice and am a known quantity. But in talking to my contacts it looks like it would top out at 190 + bonus + equity. I want to stay in DC because of family.

This seems about right. PatentLOL can sometimes demand more comp, but many times you have to have extensive experience in a specific technology, or experience managing international matters, and almost non of those are in DC area. I have been considering it myself. The most lucrative non-gc positions seem to be out in silicon valley, where apple/google/facebook pay more, but I have worked with those companies before as outside counsel, and they work just as hard. Also, not sure I am interested in having us live inside of a shoebox inside of somebody else's apartment closet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are 5-7 years, base of like 160-190 + bonus + equity is a good starting point, if you have a good niche and coming from BigLOL. More than that, it seems like 190-210 + bonus + equity is the norm. As stated earlier, massive competition with BigLOL refuges, as it is with government.

Also, many of those jerbs are outside the beltway, so living out there would be more reasonable. Would not come to DC for an in-house position, if others were available, IMHO.

Thanks - I'm well past 7 years at BigLOL and have a niche practice and am a known quantity. But in talking to my contacts it looks like it would top out at 190 + bonus + equity. I want to stay in DC because of family.

This seems about right. PatentLOL can sometimes demand more comp, but many times you have to have extensive experience in a specific technology, or experience managing international matters, and almost non of those are in DC area. I have been considering it myself. The most lucrative non-gc positions seem to be out in silicon valley, where apple/google/facebook pay more, but I have worked with those companies before as outside counsel, and they work just as hard. Also, not sure I am interested in having us live inside of a shoebox inside of somebody else's apartment closet.

This is spot on. We're living it. In-house at a tech company is $600k all in, $250 base + $70k bonus + stock options. Rare to find an in-house position that pays more or is in the DC area. $225k is about the norm. And don't count on the lifestyle change! It is likely to happen but could also not be the team culture. Just be aware it's not a guarantee.

[Anonymous]

I make $230000 base

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avoid Hewlett-Packard and in house at the big suburban consulting sweatshops.

What are the “big suburban consulting sweatshops”?