Has anyone successfully negotiated a title change in an in-house position? How did you go about it? I’m the sole in-house lawyer for a company of nearly 1,000 people. My title makes it sound like my role is limited to one type of law, but I handle all of my company’s legal issues. I advise my the board through the C-Suite. I also represent my company at GC meetings, where everyone is supposed to be a GC. I have been working at the company for three years and my role keeps expanding, but the higher-ups don’t seem motivated to give me a title change that reflects my actual duties.

I had a much worse title before, while doing the same work so “Contracts Lawyer” would be an improvement, but I do significantly more than contracts. General Counsel would be nice, but I would be happy with just Counsel.

General Counsel Responses:

  • What is your title now, and what do you want it to be? I personally like GC, but as a principal at my firm I could give myself any title I want.
  • Do you advise the Board? If not, maybe something more like Chief Legal Counsel?

Counsel Responses:

  • GC seems more applicable based on what you’ve said. I would negotiate using the argument that you are dealing with more than just the contracts and go into detail of all the different things you do.
  • Yes, I put together a small “portfolio” of business points supporting an argument that I deserved a title promotion. I pushed my manager to consider a title promotion in connection with my next scheduled performance/salary review and gave a lot of notice that it was important to me, so he could take my document to the business stakeholders with a stake in the decision. I was able to get it approved.

Associate and Attorney Responses:

  • Yes I have done this on behalf of candidates, telling the company that such and such title is reflective of the level of work in the industry to peers. Counsel is completely reasonable!
  • Head of Legal works. Also...why have you waited three years to ask? Whyyyyyyyyy!
  • Please understand your worth and go somewhere you are valued.