Exec Comp Exit Opps Forum

[Anonymous User]

Thinking about joining the exec comp group at my firm and am curious about the exit opps compared to the general corporate m&a group. Note that my firm has a smaller exec comp group (about 30). Any information would be helpful!

[Anonymous User]

30 is a huge exec comp team.

This will depend a ton on whether your firm strictly does exec comp (409A, 280G, 457, and high level exec agreements) or also does general benefits as well (401k, 403b, 125).

If the former, I think your exit options will be slightly limited. My colleague in my practice (both traditional benefits and exec comp) moved onto a high level HR role/benefits counsel role, but the job is heavily qualified plan. He said most of these roles look for strong benefits background because the companies can outsource most of the high dollar exec comp work when they need it.

[Anonymous User]

30 is a huge exec comp team.

This will depend a ton on whether your firm strictly does exec comp (409A, 280G, 457, and high level exec agreements) or also does general benefits as well (401k, 403b, 125).

If the former, I think your exit options will be slightly limited. My colleague in my practice (both traditional benefits and exec comp) moved onto a high level HR role/benefits counsel role, but the job is heavily qualified plan. He said most of these roles look for strong benefits background because the companies can outsource most of the high dollar exec comp work when they need it.

Gotcha, wasn't aware of normal sizes for exec comp teams. I think most of the work we do is more high level exec agreements. They generally run as a support team to the corporate m&a group.

How do exit opps compare to m&a? Are they demonstrably worse?

[Anonymous User]

30 is a huge exec comp team.

This will depend a ton on whether your firm strictly does exec comp (409A, 280G, 457, and high level exec agreements) or also does general benefits as well (401k, 403b, 125).

If the former, I think your exit options will be slightly limited. My colleague in my practice (both traditional benefits and exec comp) moved onto a high level HR role/benefits counsel role, but the job is heavily qualified plan. He said most of these roles look for strong benefits background because the companies can outsource most of the high dollar exec comp work when they need it.

Gotcha, wasn't aware of normal sizes for exec comp teams. I think most of the work we do is more high level exec agreements. They generally run as a support team to the corporate m&a group.

How do exit opps compare to m&a? Are they demonstrably worse?

Previous poster. The exit ops are probably nowhere near M&A. If you focus on Title I, you can probably go work for an investment manager. But that means you’d have to do Title I.

Some people try to avoid Exec Comp if possible because of its more narrow exit options compared to tax and M&A/corporate.

[Anonymous User]

30 is a huge exec comp team.

This will depend a ton on whether your firm strictly does exec comp (409A, 280G, 457, and high level exec agreements) or also does general benefits as well (401k, 403b, 125).

If the former, I think your exit options will be slightly limited. My colleague in my practice (both traditional benefits and exec comp) moved onto a high level HR role/benefits counsel role, but the job is heavily qualified plan. He said most of these roles look for strong benefits background because the companies can outsource most of the high dollar exec comp work when they need it.

Gotcha, wasn't aware of normal sizes for exec comp teams. I think most of the work we do is more high level exec agreements. They generally run as a support team to the corporate m&a group.

How do exit opps compare to m&a? Are they demonstrably worse?

Previous poster. The exit ops are probably nowhere near M&A. If you focus on Title I, you can probably go work for an investment manager. But that means you’d have to do Title I.

Some people try to avoid Exec Comp if possible because of its more narrow exit options compared to tax and M&A/corporate.

Any idea of what the numbers for in-house compensation looks like for Title I and general/traditional benefits look like?

[oblig.lawl.ref]

Would agree that exit ops are likely materially worse for exec comp lawyers doing the kind of work described in here as compared to M&A or general corporate. I do not see a ton of quality exits in my market for those types of lawyers, probably for the reasons the anon above describes.

[Anonymous User]

30 is a huge exec comp team.

This will depend a ton on whether your firm strictly does exec comp (409A, 280G, 457, and high level exec agreements) or also does general benefits as well (401k, 403b, 125).

If the former, I think your exit options will be slightly limited. My colleague in my practice (both traditional benefits and exec comp) moved onto a high level HR role/benefits counsel role, but the job is heavily qualified plan. He said most of these roles look for strong benefits background because the companies can outsource most of the high dollar exec comp work when they need it.

Gotcha, wasn't aware of normal sizes for exec comp teams. I think most of the work we do is more high level exec agreements. They generally run as a support team to the corporate m&a group.

How do exit opps compare to m&a? Are they demonstrably worse?

Previous poster. The exit ops are probably nowhere near M&A. If you focus on Title I, you can probably go work for an investment manager. But that means you’d have to do Title I.

Some people try to avoid Exec Comp if possible because of its more narrow exit options compared to tax and M&A/corporate.

Any idea of what the numbers for in-house compensation looks like for Title I and general/traditional benefits look like?

Bumping to see if anyone has relevant salary data. Thanks in advance.