Let's talk in-house salaries Forum

[tfer2222]

Tag

[Anonymous User]

I'm waiting to hear a decision for an in-house position at a 100+ person start-up in San Francisco. I've got 4 years experience at a biglaw firm. Assume average additional benefits (e.g., stock options etc). Anyone have an idea what the appropriate base salary should be?

I've read the Robert Half salary guide which suggests around $155,000 is appropriate. I previously interviewed a year ago with on of the big tech companies in the Bay Area and they were offering $135,000. I presume startups will pay less than the big tech companies, so I would guess around $130,000 for a 4th year in-house startup salary is probably appropriate but I want to make sure I'm not undervaluing myself. Any thoughts?

[curepure]

3 Years out of law school
1 month In-House (non-legal)
Corporate Associate in biglaw for 1.5 years (corporate)
Base salary is $190K
Target bonus is 20-30K
Industry is risk management in large investment bank

Op, how did you know about the position with only 1.5yr in biglaw? did you have a finance/business background to get in the risk management field?

[Anonymous User]

5 years out; 1.75 in this job

NYC

Salary: $200 (promoted up from $180 or so recently)
Bonus: 25% cash last year; no equity due to poor company performance (everyone at my title got dinged). Expectation for this year: 25% cash; 20% (maybe? it really depends) equity.
Benefits: health insurance, etc. 6% 401(k) match, profit sharing. ESPP w/ discount (which i don't use because or stock is volatile and we have limited growth prospects).
Hours: 8:45 to 7 or so. Weekends maybe 4 times a year. Never (almost) work from home.
Industry: financial services but NOT a bank.

I'm considering a move to another job at $250 base plus much lower bonus. Not sure what the right answer is.

[Anonymous User]

deleted, double post.

[Anonymous User]

2 years out of LS
6 months in-house
Corporate primarily, but see wide variety including lit, RE, IP
$105 base salary (far and away the worst thing about my job)
15% bonus
Non-NYC market
Entertainment industry

[Anonymous User]

I am interviewing at a media/software company for a patent lit position in CA. I am 5 years out, always done patent lit, CS background, and make NY market. I feel like the salary could range wildly. We shall see if I get an offer. Any guesses? (It is a pretty big company that you have heard of and likely use their product.)

[Anonymous User]

Posted this in the general legal salary sticky but i'll repost here:

- 1 Year out of law school but have a few years experience as a patent agent
- In-house patent attorney for a large (F500) company doing mostly outside counsel management
- Been here for a little less than a year, based in a large secondary city (e.g., Boston/Houston/DC)
- $155k base. Yearly raises are expected to be shit.
- Bonus is expected to be 3%-10%, probably around 5%.
- 3 weeks vacation, excellent (and cheap) health benefits, 401k match (~5%), potential for stock options but it will take a few years of accrued seniority.
- Hours: 9-5 and no nights or weekends

[Anonymous User]

Recently left my in-house job to go back to big law. Yes, I am sadistic....

I got the job after 2.5 years in a regional big law firm.
Base 135 + 20% bonus.
Midcap company.
9-5 work.
Ok benefits. 15 days vacation. Boss allows you to work remotely as long as you do not abuse.
Tech trans work with data privacy (non-vendor company).
Secondary city.

[Kochel]

I've been in-house for quite a while now--asset management industry, 10-15 internal lawyers--so my own comp is not particularly relevant. My company typically hires lawyers with 2-5 years of Biglaw experience. For those lawyers, base salary is typically 160-185, with bonus of 50-100. Base salaries can remain static for long periods, though bonuses can increase more frequently. Upon promotion to a senior level, base usually rises only modestly, but bonuses go up substantially (sometimes exceeding base). Work environment is usually 9-6, with almost no weekends.

[Anonymous User]

bump.

[Anonymous User]

I've been in-house for quite a while now--asset management industry, 10-15 internal lawyers--so my own comp is not particularly relevant. My company typically hires lawyers with 2-5 years of Biglaw experience. For those lawyers, base salary is typically 160-185, with bonus of 50-100. Base salaries can remain static for long periods, though bonuses can increase more frequently. Upon promotion to a senior level, base usually rises only modestly, but bonuses go up substantially (sometimes exceeding base). Work environment is usually 9-6, with almost no weekends.

Now this is winning in my eyes. Would you say this is fairly typical of other specialty areas within financial services? I work in Finance bigtique, but limited work in AM.

[Anonymous User]

Tagging. Very interested in in-house options for biglaw litigators.

[RaceJudicata]

Tagging. Very interested in in-house options for biglaw litigators.

I think the fact that no one (or very few people) have mentioned an in-house salary as a litigator is telling.

[abogadesq]

Does anyone have any information on the starting salary for an in-house associate in the hospitality industry (Wyndham, Hilton, Holiday, etc.)?

[Anonymous User]

I have two data points.

Big law litigator, 9th year senior associate. Went in house for a tech company in the Bay Area. Base Is $175k plus 20% bonus plus stock options and RSU and 401k matching.

Big law litigator, 7th year associate. In house for a different tech company in the Bay Area. Base is $205k plus 20% bonus plus 4% 401k matching but no stock options or 401k matching.

Both tech companies very well known and been around for a long time.

[Anonymous User]

I have two data points.

Big law litigator, 9th year senior associate. Went in house for a tech company in the Bay Area. Base Is $175k plus 20% bonus plus stock options and RSU and 401k matching.

Big law litigator, 7th year associate. In house for a different tech company in the Bay Area. Base is $205k plus 20% bonus plus 4% 401k matching but no stock options or 401k matching.

Both tech companies very well known and been around for a long time.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone have info about in-house salaries for associates who did big law finance / high yield work?

[Anonymous User]

I have a generalist in house interview coming up and I have no idea what to do if asked about salary. When it came up in preliminary interviews I just sort of stammered and asked to talk about it later.

It's a public company in a pretty remote part of the country with roughly 15 people in the legal department. I know what the GC makes, but other than that I have no data points to base a number on. Pretty worried about asking too much, but of course I also don't want to leave money on the table.

[Anonymous User]

I have a generalist in house interview coming up and I have no idea what to do if asked about salary. When it came up in preliminary interviews I just sort of stammered and asked to talk about it later.

It's a public company in a pretty remote part of the country with roughly 15 people in the legal department. I know what the GC makes, but other than that I have no data points to base a number on. Pretty worried about asking too much, but of course I also don't want to leave money on the table.

My advice is to just say you're flexible with Salary and leave it at that. If they push you for a number, don't give it to them! Let them throw out the first number and go from there. Nothing good will come from you giving them an arbitrary number especially if you're not sure. Too low and you're selling yourself short. Too high and you just look greedy.

[Anonymous User]

2 years out of law school
Previously at midlaw firm as corporate generalist, now in house very recently
Practice area is insurance
Base salary is 135-145k
Bonus expected is 20-25k
No equity grants, vesting, or 401k match

The role is a business side, JD advantage position.

[redsox550]

I have a generalist in house interview coming up and I have no idea what to do if asked about salary. When it came up in preliminary interviews I just sort of stammered and asked to talk about it later.

It's a public company in a pretty remote part of the country with roughly 15 people in the legal department. I know what the GC makes, but other than that I have no data points to base a number on. Pretty worried about asking too much, but of course I also don't want to leave money on the table.

My advice is to just say you're flexible with Salary and leave it at that. If they push you for a number, don't give it to them! Let them throw out the first number and go from there. Nothing good will come from you giving them an arbitrary number especially if you're not sure. Too low and you're selling yourself short. Too high and you just look greedy.

I always thought the best approach if forced for numbers is to say "I currently make x Dollars, how much are you willing to pay to get me to switch jobs? Though that line is more appropriate post offer if pushed for numbers

[Toni V]

Whenever BL cohorts have briefly discussed in-house, it has always been negative….tagging this thread because it notes a more positive view.

[Anonymous User]

Any IP Lit biglaw -> inhouse associates ?

[Anonymous User]

2 years out of law school
Previously at midlaw firm as corporate generalist, now in house very recently
Practice area is insurance
Base salary is 135-145k
Bonus expected is 20-25k
No equity grants, vesting, or 401k match

The role is a business side, JD advantage position.

Considering a similar position, are you happy there? Why did you make the switch, do you think that position was hard to get?