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Earlier is better within reason. For corporate, 3-5 YOE is probably a sweet spot; for litigation, 4-6 YOE. I went in house at almost 8 YOE (I started looking around 6 YOE, and job search took 18 months), and there are folks who graduated a year or two later but went in house earlier, and have advanced higher than me.
I would start looking now if it’s your plan eventually. The types of positions you’ll get now vs as a 6th year are either the same, or only marginally different pay/responsibility wise, so go for it. I’d say years 6-8 are when the pay gap starts looking more painful, and you still won’t have the YOE necessary (like 10-15) for the GC type roles
Rising Star
Note that if you’re not coming from biglaw the above doesn’t apply. I went in house my 4th year and got a decent pay bump coming from midlaw, and my hours basically halved. Now I’m a 7th year and make about what a 3rd year in biglaw does, but significantly more than I would’ve made in midlaw, and I work under 40 hours total most weeks.
What do you want to do with your life? If you are big law you are going to price yourself out of in house in a few more years. You can make pretty good money but generally not amlaw100 equity partner money. If you feel like you have a good grounding in what you do and you want to support business transactions or a business operations then it’s close to time in terms of years
Many (most?) in house gigs are generally not Amlaw 100 midlevel money. Maybe senior associate with generous bonus and options but not on average.
What practice group are you in?