Big law ECVC midlevel here going in-house as the first lawyer in a SaaS company in a couple weeks. Solid team, explosive growth, good relationship with outside counsel, I’m really excited for the future and feeling just a touch overwhelmed at the shift I’m about to experience. What should I know, read, or prepare so I can walk in and succeed? What do you wish you knew before your first in-house gig? Thanks in advance!

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Learn and understand the tech the best you can. Lean into relationships with product people so you can know products the company selling inside and out, which is key to understanding the key risks. I think a lot of in house (especially tech) lawyers are overly risk averse because they don’t fully understand the product, so they err on the side of being conservative.

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Be nice. Think more collaboratively. In-house comes with a mix of lawyers who may be decades ahead of you in YOC but lacking in pedigree. They may want to challenge you. It’s ok. Just lean in and learn. Dont rely too heavily on your big law past in the first 100 days. They already know you are a unicorn. Focusing too much on the past will draw negative attention. Just focus on collaborating with the team and becoming an irreplaceable asset. In your first 100 days, prove to the team that you can slip in anywhere and still add value.

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Learn the company business and culture. You’re going to be judged by your general business/practical judgment as much as your legal acumen. Start listening to some VC type podcasts if you don’t already (a16z, invest like the best are a couple solid ones).

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Can you share the comp package, especially equity? Interested in learning how much startups pay.

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F

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