In-house roles offer breadth and business impact. They also bring trade-offs most associates underestimate.
The best time to move in-house is usually between your fourth and seventh year, when you have deep skills but are still flexible on title and pay.
Expect a broader range of work, fewer billable pressures, and a different pace. Equity can make up for lower cash pay at growth-stage companies, but it carries risk.
Think hard about the team you would join. A strong general counsel who invests in people is worth more than a bigger title.