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Help with Two In-House Offers

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 1:03 am
by Anonymous User
Me: c/o 2013, with specialized practice area. Coming from a mid-size, regional firm (Seattle-area) with 200k total comp. Any thoughts on either offer below versus staying put?

1st Offer: From Global Industrial Company in Moderate Cost of Living Market:
200k base
25% target bonus
40k annual equity with 5 year vest
4% 401k match 1st year, 6% match after 1st year
good benefits
senior counsel position

Job unlikely to be 9-5. Operations are global so advising teams across different time zones regularly seem likely.

2nd Offer: From Large Bank in Moderate Cost of Living Market:
185k base
20% target bonus
6% match after 1st year
great benefits
mid-level counsel position (due to lack of prior experience in financial sector)

Job likely to be 9-5. Primary responsibility is taking assignments given to team and drafting internal documents for compliance and risk management programs.

Re: Help with Two In-House Offers

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 8:38 am
by Anonymous User
I have nothing to add but dam, I know people at top firms struggling to get in-house and you got two of the best in-house offers I've ever seen. Take either one and don't look back I guess.

Re: Help with Two In-House Offers

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:54 am
by 1styearlateral
First offer, and not just because more $$$.

In my experience, you want to try and shoot for as senior of a role as possible, because once you get in-house, it can be very hard to climb the corporate ladder, even at a smaller company. Someone usually has to get promoted, leave, or die. Also, if you want to lateral to another company, it is more likely that you will be in the running for more senior-level positions if you're already a senior-level attorney. Sure, AGCs do lateral to become GCs elsewhere; and sure, GCs at smaller companies do take AGC roles at larger companies, but those (in my experience) are the outlier scenarios. If you come in as the GC's right-hand-man/woman, you will have GC or DGC opportunities down the road.

Also, first offer sounds like it's with a more interesting company/work.

Re: Help with Two In-House Offers

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2020 9:32 am
by Anonymous User
Thanks to you both for the advice! Thanks 1styear, that's a great point! I've accepted the first offer.