In-House Legal Pay Bounces 15% From Pandemic Start, Survey Finds

In-house legal leaders in the U.S. on average earn $578,446 this year, up 15% from 2020, a legal search firm survey shows.

The energy and public utility industry industry has the highest pay for U.S. general counsels and chief legal officers, with the average topping $900,000, the Major, Lindsey & Africa findings show.

That was followed by banking and retail sales, which finished above $700,000, according to the firm.

“Since 2021 in particular was a successful year for many companies, financially, it made sense to give out generous bonuses to retain top talent across all levels,” said Michael Sachs, a ...