In house Comp for lawyers relative to firms

[Anonymous]

I’m in-house at a tech company - fully remote and all in is around $450k (about half is stock which obviously fluctuates in value). It is less than biglaw partner obviously but most people do not make it to partner in biglaw - whether by choice or not. My life is so much more chill now - never work evenings or weekends, never think about business development. For me it is absolutely worth the trade off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think your take is right. But here’s the thing. In house is easier. You aren’t competing for work - it’s just there. And, at least for me, it’s a lot less hours. Way better work - life balance.

I work 50-55 hours a week in house and I’ve taken 8 days of vacation this year from my in house job. I’m the only lawyer and we’re busy. All in my comp is about 340.

Get budget and hire someone at a firm as your backup. Don't be a martyr.

Asked and told no

Then take your vacation and let them figure it out. It's their choice to go without legal advice for those days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in house at a big company and my total comp including bonus and vested LTI is ~500k. Most of that isn't salary, which is still in the 200s. We get a big bonus, very significant LTI and an excellent 401k match.

I'm a senior director level with no reports. I'd expect the DGC level to be around 600k and senior counsel to be around 400k. Given that I don't usually work nights and weekends like a law firm, I'm pretty darn content with the comp. It seems like a good trade off for having a life.

I mak 250+80 or 90K bonus. How do I get that kind of compensation? I am 25 years out of law school, with big firm experience

What industry and what work do you do? The folks at my company making this are managing complex litigations with risk in the hundreds of millions to billions of dollars, or acquisitions of similar value. They aren't negotiating contracts for printer paper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in house at a big company and my total comp including bonus and vested LTI is ~500k. Most of that isn't salary, which is still in the 200s. We get a big bonus, very significant LTI and an excellent 401k match.

I'm a senior director level with no reports. I'd expect the DGC level to be around 600k and senior counsel to be around 400k. Given that I don't usually work nights and weekends like a law firm, I'm pretty darn content with the comp. It seems like a good trade off for having a life.

I mak 250+80 or 90K bonus. How do I get that kind of compensation? I am 25 years out of law school, with big firm experience

Are you at a tech company?

[Anonymous]

In order to make a lot of money as a lawyer, you have to either make (or save) a ton of money for your client/company. It’s pretty simple math.

[Anonymous]

I work at a cybersecurity company and make about 800k per year (400k in salary/bonus and 400k in RSUs).

[Anonymous]

Don't underestimate the value of stock awards once your in house position hits executive and DGC level. We are over $1mil annual in house due to stock grants included in the bonus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't underestimate the value of stock awards once your in house position hits executive and DGC level. We are over $1mil annual in house due to stock grants included in the bonus.

"We"? Do you both work there?

[Anonymous]

Trade association senior level (but not GC) and pulling down about $350k per year all in. Seems reasonable for the workload and responsibilities which include managing Junior staff and a suite of matters.

[Anonymous]

DGC with hybrid schedule (2 days a week in the office) all in comp of $850K with equity and bonus.

[Anonymous]

The in-house comp numbers here seem low for my industry - VHCOL biopharma. Sr to Exec Director is mid 300s and additional 80-120% in bonus, equity, and 401K match for total comp in the 600s to 700s, no people management responsibilities unless you want it. You can easily get here with time spent biglaw at the right firms. I also have friends who are GCs of small public biotech companies who make similar to much higher depending on how their equity performs.

I know my BigLaw counsel/partner peers are making even more, into high 6 and 7 figures, but IMO the trade off is worth it especially for parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in house at a big company and my total comp including bonus and vested LTI is ~500k. Most of that isn't salary, which is still in the 200s. We get a big bonus, very significant LTI and an excellent 401k match.

I'm a senior director level with no reports. I'd expect the DGC level to be around 600k and senior counsel to be around 400k. Given that I don't usually work nights and weekends like a law firm, I'm pretty darn content with the comp. It seems like a good trade off for having a life.

I mak 250+80 or 90K bonus. How do I get that kind of compensation? I am 25 years out of law school, with big firm experience

Are you at a tech company?

Yes PE owned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think your take is right. But here’s the thing. In house is easier. You aren’t competing for work - it’s just there. And, at least for me, it’s a lot less hours. Way better work - life balance.

I work 50-55 hours a week in house and I’ve taken 8 days of vacation this year from my in house job. I’m the only lawyer and we’re busy. All in my comp is about 340.

Get budget and hire someone at a firm as your backup. Don't be a martyr.

We haven’t made our numbers since 2023. No budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think your take is right. But here’s the thing. In house is easier. You aren’t competing for work - it’s just there. And, at least for me, it’s a lot less hours. Way better work - life balance.

I work 50-55 hours a week in house and I’ve taken 8 days of vacation this year from my in house job. I’m the only lawyer and we’re busy. All in my comp is about 340.

Get budget and hire someone at a firm as your backup. Don't be a martyr.

Asked and told no

Then take your vacation and let them figure it out. It's their choice to go without legal advice for those days.

I have my job because they fired their previous lawyer for taking too much vacation (and a couple other things).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in house at a big company and my total comp including bonus and vested LTI is ~500k. Most of that isn't salary, which is still in the 200s. We get a big bonus, very significant LTI and an excellent 401k match.

I'm a senior director level with no reports. I'd expect the DGC level to be around 600k and senior counsel to be around 400k. Given that I don't usually work nights and weekends like a law firm, I'm pretty darn content with the comp. It seems like a good trade off for having a life.

I mak 250+80 or 90K bonus. How do I get that kind of compensation? I am 25 years out of law school, with big firm experience

Wow that's exactly me as well. I had senior positions at smaller companies but had to take a non-managerial role because market tightened in my industry. This level of comp you mention is the most or close to the most I ever made.