Numerous candidates have come to me with the following question: how do they choose between the option of being a division general counsel of a large public company or GC of a smaller private company? Or, at the non-GC level, they face the quandary of joining the legal department at a large public company in a more specialized or “siloed” role versus a smaller private company with a broader range of responsibilities.
The short answer is, of course: It depends. These decisions need to be made after a case-by-case analysis tailored to you and your career goals. But for most in-house counsel facing choices like these, below are some considerations that might help guide the decision:
- What is your main career goal for the next five years?
- What is your end career goal? (For example, do you want to be a GC of a Fortune 500 company, or be deeply involved with the business of a tech start-up?)
- Do you want to manage others? (If so, how large of a team?)
- Do you seek opportunities to manage more functions than just the legal department?
- Are you trying to segue into a new industry or build a bridge to a new practice area?
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