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How much better are tech trans exit options compared to something like M&A or general corporate? Is tech trans at a native SV firm significantly better for substantive work and exiting than a V10/V20?

Curious on the answers to this.

My general view has been that tech trans folk get solid exit options really early — by year 3 or year 4 there would be solid in-house options. I think if your general strategy is spend as little time in biglaw as possible, and then find a decent landing (nice combo of salary and predictable hours), tech trans in SV is a pretty solid path. I would say the possible downsides are more along the lines of whether the work is truly as interesting as M&A or general corporate, whether you "like" negotiating commercial agreements, and your exit opps are probably going to be a bit more specialized as well. This viewpoint is more of a second hand one, so curious what actual tech trans folks have to say.

Agreed with the above poster. Lots of tech trans exit opps are for commercial counsel (negotiating a bunch of tech agreements) or product counsel (heavy on advisory). The pay cut can be quite significant.

Is the pay cut always bad? Worse than going in house from M&A?

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:48 pm

Is the pay cut always bad? Worse than going in house from M&A?

Although it of course depends on industry, market, company size, etc. usual pay structure goes from my experience goes corporate counsel -> product counsel -> commercial counsel. M&A usually exits to corporate counsel roles

hangtime813 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 03, 2021 1:00 pm

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:48 pm

Is the pay cut always bad? Worse than going in house from M&A?

Although it of course depends on industry, market, company size, etc. usual pay structure goes from my experience goes corporate counsel -> product counsel -> commercial counsel. M&A usually exits to corporate counsel roles

Meaning commercial counsel is highest?

hangtime813 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 03, 2021 1:00 pm

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:48 pm

Is the pay cut always bad? Worse than going in house from M&A?

Although it of course depends on industry, market, company size, etc. usual pay structure goes from my experience goes corporate counsel -> product counsel -> commercial counsel. M&A usually exits to corporate counsel roles

If you’re saying commercial counsel is the highest paid, then either you have a different understanding of the role or we’ve had very different experiences. At my tech company, commercial counsel (who negotiate vendor, sales, partnership agreements etc) are very much the lowest on the totem pole. Product counsel, M&A counsel, and specialty counsel are all pretty equivalent, with product counsel having the biggest variety in background and credentials.

Elston Gunn wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 03, 2021 4:43 pm

hangtime813 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 03, 2021 1:00 pm

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:48 pm

Is the pay cut always bad? Worse than going in house from M&A?

Although it of course depends on industry, market, company size, etc. usual pay structure goes from my experience goes corporate counsel -> product counsel -> commercial counsel. M&A usually exits to corporate counsel roles

If you’re saying commercial counsel is the highest paid, then either you have a different understanding of the role or we’ve had very different experiences. At my tech company, commercial counsel (who negotiate vendor, sales, partnership agreements etc) are very much the lowest on the totem pole. Product counsel, M&A counsel, and specialty counsel are all pretty equivalent, with product counsel having the biggest variety in background and credentials.

It goes corporate counsel with the highest comp, then product, then commercial counsel (usually) in my experience. Agreed that product counsel usually have a big variety in backgrounds as it makes sense depending on the industry and product.