Author (Legal Counsel)

Would you personally take a Senior Counsel, Commercial role in a public company after being VP of Legal in a small private company for the past 2.5 years (where there was no GC)? Recognizing most would be hunting for GC or at least AGC roles in a larger company.

I came across a Senior Counsel role that speaks to me in a well-respected public company with decent compensation and equity. I just don’t know if this perceived “step-down” would be a career ruiner/set me back considerably?

General Counsel Responses:

• What’s more important to you: your title or money? For me personally, so long as I’m fairly compensated by the company you could call me Counsel for all I care. I’m paper chasing until I retire. My goal is to stack more and more money with each role to try and shave off as many years from retirement as I can. If your end goal is to retire a GC it might be a step back, so something you’d need to consider. I honestly don’t think companies will care especially if you explain in a cover letter that the job before this job was basically a GC/Head of Legal role. You need to decide what you want from your career. - Good luck!

• Title works differently at different organizations. In really large legal departments, there are people who remain Senior Counsels for decades.

Counsel Responses:

• At my F100 company we have Senior Counsel that were previously GC at small private companies. Honestly, focus on the compensation. Titles are meaningless.

• At my mid-cap public company our deputy GC was GC at other places. Titles are kind of irrelevant. - Look at company size and pay.

• Titles are meaningless - they all mean different things at different places. Will the new opportunity grow your skillset? Is the compensation in line with your experience and the market? Is there room for growth? If you like what the role has to offer, don’t get hung up on the title.

• Pay is important, but also make sure the work is actually exciting to you and, if you're ambitious, upward potential is there.

Associate and Attorney Responses:

• In-house titles are all over the place. If you like the role and you’re good with the pay, I say take it. I know at least one F500 that calls their most junior attorneys VPs. I don’t think the title means as much as the role/scope.

• I personally would see this as a path to specialization, not a step down. You will likely take yourself off of the "moving toward GC" path, if you take this role. That may be your intention. - If not, understand growth trajectory/opportunities for advancement at the new role.

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