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I'm a corporate/M&A associate at a mid-sized firm, and I've spent >60% of my time at my firm working for one client. For multiple reasons, I'm very unhappy at my firm, and the only plus of my firm is getting to work for this client.

I know the C-suite well, and although it doesn't currently have an in-house counsel, companies of comparable size do.

Is there any downside for me trying to ask the person at the client's business who I have the best relationship with whether they'd consider bringing me in-house?

In my view, the worst thing that could happen is someone senior gives it a no, and then, no hurt feelings, we all move on with our lives and I can, just as before, continue to represent the client as its external counsel at my firm....

You can, but know there is a chance it gets back to the relationship partner. This is probably best done over lunch in a casual manner (have you guys ever considered brining on an in-house counsel). If he says yes, it gives you an opening to say that you enjoy working with the team and company and it would be one of the few roles you would consider leaving the firm for. In any case, I wouldn't put it in an email.

Agree with BigLawyer. Also, even if the client wants to hire you, if there is no business need or budget at the moment, it’s unlikely they will do so. Even when a client has the budget, many of them decide to keep outside counsel rather than hire an in-house counsel for various reasons (e.g., they want to work with the firm for the outside broader market perspective they can provide). There are numerous ways to go in-house from Big Law. Have you checked into secondment options with the client, or any in-house transition programs your firm may offer? I’ve known some associates, counsel, and partners who did secondments with a client, demonstrated their value, and “created” a “need” and demand so that the client ultimately hired them in-house even though there was not an opening at the start of the secondment.

D.W. Randolph, author of Big Law Confidential