The In-House Fantasy May Be Full Of Holes

David Maurer, former in-house counsel and now a legal recruiter with Major, Lindsey & Africa, dissects the fantasy of going in-house he sometimes finds among law firm attorneys at all levels. The details vary, but they may well involve the imagined upstart pre–public company, stock options and a big payday. Maurer stops short of saying it never happens, or that a transition even to a more conventional in-house role can’t be a right move. But he advises a careful analysis of some basic differences in the employment paradigm – among them the difference between being a revenue generator and being an expense – before making the move. Another thing to keep in mind, and a factor that Maurer in his current position as recruiter of partners from one law firm to another is in a good position to clarify, is that the move in-house is not easy to undo. “Law firms typically want books of business from lateral partners,” he says, “and that’s not something maintained once you switch to an in-house role.”