2023 Compensation Report: General Counsel

(October 31, 2023, 2:02 PM EDT) --
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Pay packages for top corporate general counsel are keeping pace with business profits, as some sectors surge above others, and stock awards and other benefits boost compensation to well over $13 million for all the S&P 500 legal chiefs in the top 10.

Our coverage looks at dollar amounts in both total cash and total compensation for 250 legal chiefs, with visualizations that break out that information by business sector, gender and top 10.

Check out the stories below to see who's making and paying the most, which industries are the most profitable, and which law firms and law schools have the most alums in these high-profile posts.

Everything You Need To Know About GC Pay

Want to know which legal chief is earning the most at an S&P 500 company? How compensation compares across business sectors? Explore the ins and outs of general counsel compensation with our interactive graphic.

These GCs Are Pulling Down Top Dollar

Despite economic uncertainty and increasing cost pressures facing legal departments, the pay packages for many top corporate lawyers continue to stay strong. Here, we spotlight the legal chiefs who are earning the most in total compensation and in total cash at S&P 500 companies.

A Deep Dive Into GC Pay

Law360 Pulse looked beyond bare financials to see how business sectors, law firms and schools could influence the pay of top-earning GCs in S&P 500 companies. Here's what we found.

Women In Top GC Posts Are Making The Pay Gap Disappear

The trend is clear: Women no longer trail men in earnings among general counsel at top companies in the United States. Law360 Pulse found that among the S&P 500 general counsel whose 2022 pay packages were disclosed publicly, women made more than men in total compensation.

These Law Firms Are Where It All Began For Top-Earning GCs

Before ascending to the ranks of top-earning general counsel at some of America's most renowned corporations, many lawyers cut their teeth in the structured law firm environment, where they gain invaluable experience and foster connections that often last for a lifetime.

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