Built by a Recruiter.
Designed for Your Next Move.
Resume guidance, interview prep, and career strategy — tailored to where you are and where you want to go.
Build the Foundation
- Lead with academic performance and articling firm quality
- Document every file type — breadth matters early
- Quantify where possible: deal sizes, court appearances, files managed
- Get active on LinkedIn. Network. Network. Network.
- Start your deal sheet or litigation synopsis now, not later
Position for Partnership
- Reframe your resume around leadership and client ownership
- Your synopsis should show transaction complexity, not just volume
- Highlight any origination, referrals, or business development
- Be specific about your role in major matters — not just the firm's role
- Address the partnership track question head-on in interviews
Lateral Movement
- Your book of business is the conversation — be ready to discuss it
- Reframe your bio for the new firm's client base and culture
- Prepare a portable client narrative — who follows you and why
- Conflicts analysis should be done before the first call
- Know your non-competes and restrictive covenants cold
Lead with impact, not duties
"Acted as lead associate on a $750M hotel sale" lands harder than "involved in M&A transactions." Tell them what you did, not what the firm did.
Tailor your bio every time
The firms reading your resume are not all looking for the same thing. Match your language, your emphasis, and your story to where you actually want to land.
Your synopsis is not optional
A deal sheet or litigation synopsis is what separates shortlisted candidates from overlooked ones. Keep it current.
Your Resume is Not a Job Description
List what you did, not what your role was supposed to do. Partners want to see your fingerprints on the work — not a copy of your job posting.
Resume, Deal Sheet, or Litigation Synopsis
Haven't dusted off the resume in a while? Not sure how to structure a deal sheet or litigation synopsis? I can help you build something that actually gets read.
Let's ConnectInterview Prep & How to Present
Wondering what questions to expect? What to ask? How to walk into a room and own it? I prep lawyers for interviews at every level — firm and in-house.
Let's ConnectTransition In-Housewith Confidence.
Leaving private practice for an in-house role is more than a change of scenery. It is a shift in mindset, metrics, and how legal fits into the business.
Whether you are making the pivot for the first time or looking to advance to a more senior level role — I help you understand what hiring managers are actually looking for.
Let's ConnectPrivate Practice to In-House
Understand the mindset shift. No longer interested in the partnership path? Looking to blend business with legal? Let's deep dive into your goals to understand why pivoting in-house makes sense.
Senior Counsel / Director to GC / VP Legal
Moving from execution to leadership requires a different conversation. We help you frame your strategic contributions and position yourself as a business partner.
Sector Navigation
Tech. Finance. Energy. Mining. Consumer. Each sector has its own culture. We help you identify where your background fits and where the real opportunities are.
Not sure where your resume stands?
Send it to me. I will tell you exactly what a hiring partner sees — and what needs to change.
Where are you on the trajectory?
Every lawyer's path is different. But there are common windows — moments where a conversation makes sense. Here is how I think about it.
Build the foundation.
Private practice is where you learn the craft. Get reps. Be a sponge. Work on complex files. Build your synopsis/dealsheet. This is not always the time to move — it is the time to accumulate.
If you are already miserable at year 2, the problem may not be the firm.
Think strategically.
Partnership track or pivot? This is when the question becomes real. You have enough experience to be marketable and enough runway to make a move without leaving value behind.
You are doing good work but the path ahead does not excite you.
The decision window.
In-house becomes realistic and competitive. Companies want your private practice depth. This is the sweet spot for a pivot — experienced enough to add value, early enough to build a career in-house.
You keep reading in-house job postings but haven't told anyone.
Lateral or lead.
Senior associate, income partner, or in-house leadership. The moves at this stage are bigger and the stakes are higher. This is where a trusted advisor matters most.
The partnership conversation has stalled or the offer was not what you expected.
Not sure where you fit? That is exactly the kind of conversation I have every day. No pitch. Just a straight read on where you are and what makes sense.
Let's TalkA lateral partner move is one of the most consequential decisions in a legal career.
Done well, it is a growth engine — access to a stronger platform, better resources, and a practice that can scale. Done poorly, it costs clients, culture, and credibility.
Group moves carry additional complexity. The dynamic between portability, firm culture, and individual equity structures makes these conversations ones you want to have with someone who understands all three sides of the table.
Portable Revenue
Firms weigh a candidate's book of business carefully — but client portability is rarely as clean as it looks on paper.
Cultural Fit
The majority of lateral departures within five years trace back to cultural misalignment, not capability.
Compensation Structure
Equity vs non-equity, origination credit, and practice autonomy matter as much as the base number.
of in-house clients typically remain with the original firm after a lateral partner move
of firms report lateral departures within 5 years — most driven by cultural misalignment
Candidate, firm, and clients — all need to be considered before a move is made
Warren Smith, Managing Partner at SLS, on what it actually takes to make a lateral move work.
Read the ArticleConsidering a lateral move? This is exactly the kind of conversation that benefits from being had early — before anything is in motion.
Let's TalkBC Legal Market — Salary Tool
Private practice and in-house compensation data. All figures CAD, base salary unless noted.
| Year of call | Large firm | Mid-market | Boutique |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st year | Up to $120,000 | Up to $107,000 | $80,000+ |
| 2nd year | Up to $130,000 | Up to $117,000 | $90,000+ |
| 3rd year | Up to $147,000 | Up to $138,500 | $100,000+ |
| 4th year | Up to $170,000 | Up to $155,000 | $110,000+ |
| 5th year | Up to $185,000 | Up to $163,000 | $120,000+ |
| 6th year | Up to $205,000 | Up to $177,000 | $150,000+ |
| 7th year | $220,000+ | Up to $190,000 | $160,000+ |
| Role | Base | Bonus | Total (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal / Corp. Counsel | $130K – $170K | $20K – $30K | $170K – $200K |
| Senior Legal Counsel | $180K – $210K | $40K – $55K | $250K – $320K |
| Director / Asst. GC | $225K – $260K | $60K – $70K | $250K – $500K |
| General Counsel | $260K – $315K | $90K – $120K | $500K – $1M+ |
STI — Short-Term Incentive
Annual cash bonus tied to performance. GC and Director roles have formal target structures.
LTI — Long-Term Incentive
RSUs, PSUs, or options vesting over 3–5 years. This is where real wealth-building happens in-house.
Pension & Retirement
Crown and government roles typically offer DB pension. Private and public co. more commonly offer RRSP matching.
Total Comp Model
A GC at a public co. with $290K base + $120K STI + $150K LTI can realize $560K+ total. Base understates what top roles actually pay.
| Factor | Private practice | In-house |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary growth | Year-by-year, firm-driven | Role-based, slower progression |
| Bonus (STI) | Discretionary, often significant | Target bonuses 15–40%+ of base |
| Equity (LTI) | Equity partnership | RSUs, PSUs, options |
| Pension | Group RRSP typically | DBPP & DCPP available |
| Work arrangement | Billable targets / collections | More predictable, hybrid common |
The gap between private practice and in-house at the associate level has narrowed significantly in BC. For lawyers at the 3–6 year call level, the base salary difference is often smaller than expected. Factor in LTI, STI, and pension at a public company and total comp can significantly exceed what the base numbers suggest. The real conversation is about what you actually want from your career.
Current Opportunities
Most of the roles we work on never appear on public job boards. What you see here is just the surface. Reach out directly for a confidential conversation about what else is available.
"Let's have an honest conversation."
I work with lawyers planning their next move and with the firms and general counsels who need to find the right one.
