Tips for interviewing In-house (offering tips from interviewer perspective) Forum

[Anonymous User]

What kind of in house positions do you see for litigators?

Far and few between, but usually general commercial litigation experience. The folks that I see go in-house as litigators have pretty broad backgrounds or they focused on employment related litigation (company side).

Almost everyone comes from large law firms.

[Anonymous User]

What kind of hours do you, and others in-house that you know, have?

[Anonymous User]

When you get a resume from someone looking to come in house, do you weigh whether they're coming from a V10, V50, etc? Or is their substantive work experience more important within the V100?

[Byakuya769]

3-6 years of big law experience leads to what pay/hours expectations in-house?

[Phil Brooks]

Do you also like it when candidates use the phrase "dig in" throughout their answers?

I don't like it - I dig it.

Hahaha well played.

[Anonymous User]

What kind of hours do you, and others in-house that you know, have?

For me, it varies from probably 40-50 hours per week. On average, I'm guessing 45 hours.

It really varies with in-house jobs. Some are strict 9-5 gigs. Most are similar to my job. Some are closer to 50-55 hours. Usually the hours are pretty steady though, so you don't get late night or weekend work.

[Anonymous User]

When you get a resume from someone looking to come in house, do you weigh whether they're coming from a V10, V50, etc? Or is their substantive work experience more important within the V100?

For me? Your firm would literally have zero impact. It is all substantive experience, whether you can articulate why you want the open job and personality.

For others, prestige plays in a little bit, but it is still 90% substantive experience. I have noticed some interviewers are more like to say that a candidate is "super smart" because they worked for a high ranked firm or went to a really good law school....but I've never seen a candidate get a job because they went to a good school or firm.

[Anonymous User]

3-6 years of big law experience leads to what pay/hours expectations in-house?

See above for hours.

Pay varies quite a bit. In a high COL area (not NYC), I found salaries ranged $100K - $150K with 10-20% bonuses for this level of experience. Total comp was usually in the $140K-$170K range.

[Byakuya769]

Thanks!