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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Not asking for sympathy but I'm a big law counsel and I've tried to leave so many times to an in house role in my field and have been passed over every time.  So I am stuck here making half a million (unless I want to hang a shingle which seems like way more work).

Golden handcuffs that I can't even get out of even though I want to.

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You're making $500,000 as counsel? Do you even have billable goals?? I thought counsel / of counsel folks were often paid by   percentage of receipts, so while there's an incentive to work more to make more, the firm doesn't necessarily lose if you bill less (except overhead contribution). [/quote]

That's funny. Nowadays, most counsel are glorified senior associates with black box comp, which means make the same or less than an 8th year. [/quote]
Interesting, this is not my experience, but I'm thinking there is a distinction between "counsel" and "of counsel." The "of counsel" people are often not employees or salaried. [/quote]

I’m an “of counsel” and was previously a “counsel” another v20 firm.  My comp (including bonus) would be 600-650k at either firm if I were full time, which is also in line with other offers I received when I switched firms.  Counsel (of counsel, special counsel, etc) means different things at different firms, for me it has always been akin to a non equity partner role (at firms who only have equity partners), but it definitely varies (eg I know one firm with income partners and counsel just calls is 6+ year associates “counsel”).

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I also thought an "of counsel" arrangement was typically like a contracted hourly rate (percentage of rate that the firm bills to client) or a % of receipts. 1099 rather than employee. What you are referring to sounds like an associate relationship but called "counsel"? I'm assuming that if you are salaried, there are billing expectations like with associates? If not, sign me up....
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Yes, I am salaried and there are billable expectations.  I’m part time, but like I said at the two firms I’ve been at it’s essentially an income partner role at a firm that does not have income partners.  Totally possible the counsel role at some firms is what you describe, it’s kind of a catch all, I think at my firm some of the staff attorneys have the sort of arrangement you describe.  [/quote]

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