BarkerGilmore Issues 2025 In-House Counsel Compensation Report
May 5, 2025 – In-house counsel salaries – including general counsel, managing counsel, and senior counsel positions – increased 2.8 percent in 2025, according to BarkerGilmore’s 2025 In-House Counsel Compensation Report. The report also found that 60 percent of all In-house counsel are consider a job search in the coming year.
“This year’s compensation survey of nearly 3,000 professionals reflects a modest compensation increase for all in-house counsel positions over the prior year, as well as some interesting insights into market dynamics,” said John Gilmore, managing partner. “Notably, the 2025 increase in pay was lower than the 4.4 percent bump in 2024, which may account for nearly 60 percent of in-house counsel respondents who indicated an interest in seeking new opportunities in the coming year, mainly for better compensation and benefits.”
Mr. Gilmore noted that 39 percent of respondents were either “very” or “somewhat” concerned about job security. “Given the essential role of the legal function at most companies, and because our research was conducted before major disruption related to government restructuring or financial market volatility, we are somewhat surprised at this level of concern among in-house counsel,” he said.
Although the compensation gender gap widened a bit, to 5.4 percent in 2024 from 4.3 percent in 2023. “BarkerGilmore’s placements in 2024 and first quarter 2025 have resulted in female general counsel candidates matching and sometimes exceeding the compensation packages of their male counterparts, depending on experience,” Mr. Gilmore said.
Cash Bonuses
The BarkerGilmore report also found that in-house counsel salaries increased by 2.8 percent in 2025, a decline from 4.4 percent in 2024. Increases for individual in-house positions were general counsel (2.5 percent), managing counsel (3.0 percent), and senior counsel (2.9 percent). In addition, the BarkerGilmore report found that cash bonuses were paid at 93 percent of their target, relatively unchanged from the prior year. General counsels were paid 88 percent of their target, while both managing counsel and senior counsel were paid 95 percent.
Public company general counsel compensation far outpaced other types of organizations, according to the BarkerGilmore report. Top compensation at public companies was greater than $4.5 million, compared with $3.3 million at privately owned, $2.8 million at private equity-backed portfolio companies, and $2.0 million at non-profit organizations.
According to Equilar‘s 2024 General Counsel Pay Trends report, compensation for general counsel has skyrocketed nearly 25 percent since 2019, reaching a median total of $3.3 million in 2023. The report, based on an analysis of the Equilar 500 — the 500 largest U.S. companies by revenue — reveals that the median total compensation for general counsel during the five-year period grew to $3.3 million in 2023, from $2.6 million in 2019. The study also features commentary from BarkerGilmore. While each component of general counsel compensation rose in value during the study, stock award and performance incentives saw the largest increases in value, the report found. In 2023, the median value for stock awards was $519,800, marking a 50.8 percent increase since 2019. Median value of performance incentives reached $945,000 in 2023, up 33.7 percent in the same period.
Tenure also impacted pay, with general counsel who served between six to 10 years earning the highest median compensation of $3.7 million in 2023. Conversely, those with more than 20 years of experience earned a median income of $2.7 million last year. “This disparity underscores the fact that many companies are willing to pay a premium for top legal talent, and that younger candidates have been able to command a premium over the past five years,” said John Gilmore, co-founder and partner at BarkerGilmore.
The BarkerGilmore report also found that public company compensation varied widely based on the in-house legal role. Compared to top compensation for public company general counsel, which exceeds $4.5 million, top pay was significantly lower for managing counsel at $979,000, and for senior counsel at $528,000.
Most in-house counsel report their performance is often resource constrained, the BarkerGilmore report found. Eighty-one percent said their performance was either sometimes or always affected by lack of resources or staffing. Despite the work environment, 65 percent reported they were satisfied with their current work / life balance.
The BarkerGilmore report noted that a significant portion of all in-house counsel have been in their current positions for five years or less. Only 13 percent of general counsel, 11 percent of managing counsel, and 12 percent of senior counsel have 10 or more years of experience in their current positions.
BarkerGilmore is a boutique firm specializing in executive search and selection in law and compliance. With a network of advisors and recruiters spanning the U.S., BarkerGilmore consistently places talent at leading consumer, energy, financial, healthcare, industrial, and technology companies.
To read the full report click here!
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
