Founding Partner Scott Yaccarino provided his comments to The American Lawyer regarding law firm associate salary increases and the impact those salary increases can have on associates that are considering transitioning to in-house legal. “We all have to make decisions based on economic and opportunity cost, and every time law firm compensation goes up, it recalibrates the decision that associates need to make, who don’t see themselves necessarily as wanting to stick around to make partner,” Scott said. Scott says the window to make a move in-house is typically the widest for a fifth- or sixth-year associate. After that point, if there’s a company looking for an eighth- or ninth-year attorney, they’ll more than likely want someone with practical in-house experience. “It’s a real devil’s choice,” Scott said, adding that the decision to stay at a law firm a little while longer because of a salary increase “comes with ramifications that I frankly don’t think some associates will appreciate or think about.”

Check out the full article originally published on The American Lawyer: Does Higher Associate Pay Mean Higher Expectations?