International In-House/Non-Big Law Positions Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a big law corporate junior associate in a major US market (not NY). I'm doing a mix of M&A, securities (both deal work and filings), and start-up financings. Originally, I planned on lateraling to London next year. However, I am very unhappy with big law and have begun considering in-house positions.

I've read plenty of threads about the best time to leave a firm and go in house. My question is geared more towards opportunities available abroad, as most of the threads that I have looked at involve going in-house inside of the US or for a foreign company/bank with an office in the US. I am looking for advice from people who have done US big law and found a non big-law opportunity abroad (in-house or otherwise), particularly in London/UK (but I would also consider other markets as well).

For those that have gone in-house abroad, how did you go about finding your job? Did you use a recruiter, job message board, etc.? I've been speaking with a London recruiter, but they only place in firms. Are you at an international company or a US company with an office abroad?

As for salaries, I know that London firms can vary, with some paying market and others paying more for a JD/US degree. From what I've seen, many in-house US positions are around $125k. Is this something to expect abroad too, particularly with someone who has a JD?

Lastly, without getting into the debate on the ideal time to leave a firm, would you recommend lateraling to the market you want to be in, i.e. London in this case, working at a firm for a year or so and then looking for an exit option? Or are there opportunities available directly from an exit from a US firm?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can provide!

[saffronleaf]

Not OP but also interested

[Anonymous User]

Very interested as well.

[Anonymous User]

Background: US associate in London

I know this is an old post but I'll drop the info anyways for others: Getting UK in-house from the US is a tall order. The elite firms here (Magic Circle + KE, LW, MIlbank etc.) are pumping out UK trained lawyers. Going in-house here means you are being hired by a UK company basically - I cant see a situation where you are more competitive than someone who is UK trained from an elite firm (just as vice versa would apply in US).

Not to mention the company would have to pay for your moving costs and sponsor your visa. The latter is not a big deal in the the UK as compared to the US, but once again, the question is why would they do this when they already have a homegrown pool to tap into. There needs to be something about about you that justifies them swallowing a larger hiring cost than usual, and for a junior associate, its unlikely they can justify that.

Now, this is not to say it's impossible. You have some American entities doing business in London that are open to hiring for the role in the US. But odds wise, I'd say its the same as landing Wachtell from lower T14, i.e. very few spots are available each year and you have to be exceptional.

[Anonymous User]

I should add - if you can get your firm to transfer you to London, this changes the equation a lot. Similar to how a UK trained lawyer at an elite firm would fare better at getting in-house in the US if they transferred to their firm's US office.

[Yugihoe]

Like people alluded to above, there is essentially no way. You'll likely have to do biglaw internationally and hustle while there to try to get an in-house position.

[nealric]

Like people alluded to above, there is essentially no way. You'll likely have to do biglaw internationally and hustle while there to try to get an in-house position.

The other way to work in-house internationally is to join a multinational in the U.S. and transfer abroad. I know U.S. lawyers who have done stints in Europe this way.

[Redamon1]

You can also transfer from BigLaw (corporate especially) to international organizations. Think OECD, EBRD, EIB, UNOPS, IMF etc.