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Thank You to our Sponsors – A Look Inside the Black Box – the Compensation Conversation

New Jersey Women Lawyers Association


On January 9, 2018 the In-House Committee presented an intensive look at attorney compensation-“A Look Inside the Black Box – the Compensation Conversation.”  The discussion was led by Mary Clare Garber, 

Vice President, and Melissa Peters, Managing Director, of Princeton Legal Search.  The program began with an in-depth examination of the “layers” of compensation for in-house attorneys; surveyed the practice areas in greatest demand; and shared compensation data specific to a variety of positions and industries in New Jersey.  The speakers then provided insights on the compensation negotiation covering both situations of seeking a new position as well as with your current employer.  Some of the liveliest conversations surrounded the strategy for the compensation negotiation whether with a prospective employer or your current company.  Among the many behind-the-scenes kernels: 

  • Corporate M&A, securities, regulatory and industry-specific commercial experience are among the most highly valued skills in the current market;
  • Companies are seeking attorneys with pairings of skills, such as securities plus regulatory, commercial plus deal and litigation plus regulatory;
  • In NJ, the strongest industries for hiring lawyers are life sciences, followed by financial services and consumer products;
  • Before having a compensation discussion with a prospective employer, it’s important to understand not only the compensation package presented in an offer but also the elements of your current compensation, including base, bonus, long-term, as well as items that are often overlooked, such as telecommuting, relocation, eligibility for severance programs and title; the same holds true in discussing your pay with your existing employer;
  • How to structure a discussion of an offer; and
  • How to initiate a discussion of your compensation with your current employer.

Thank you to Princeton Legal Search Group, Barnes & Noble College and all of our In-House attendees. 

We do hope to see you at future events! 

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