In-House Lawyer at eBay Heads Back to Bingham, Warns of Long Hours
Lawyers who think working in-house is easier than law firm practice should consider the experience of Mary Huser, who is headed back to Bingham McCutchen after two years at eBay.
Huser oversaw intellectual property and litigation matters at the online auction company, and the job required more hours than working at a law firm, the Recorder reports in a story reprinted by Corporate Counsel. Huser told the publication that eBay was a seven-day-a-week job, and her BlackBerry was always on.
Huser is returning to Bingham McCutchen because she wants to get back into the courtroom “and focus on hands-on litigation,” she told the Recorder.
The publication speculates that money may also be motivating her decision. The average equity partner made nearly $1.45 million at Bingham last year, while the going rate for an in-house eBay lawyer at her level would likely be between $200,000 and $400,000. In-house lawyers often make their money in stock grants, and eBay’s stock has been largely stagnant for several years, the story says.
