The Wall Street Journal reports that as client work shrinks and competition for private sector jobs toughens, lawyers are increasingly looking at inhouse positions. For these lawyers, corporate positions –growing as a result of mounting legal and regulatory work – provide an enticing opportunity.

'Sophisticated companies'

Some companies are employing GCs in increasingly strategic roles, meaning they can often claim a place among the five highest-paid positions available.
Cynthia Dow, an executive search consultant for Russell Reynolds Associates, commented: ‘Sometimes the GCs will be paid more than the president of a business unit. Or if not, you'll see them among that top 10, in the more highly regulated and sophisticated companies.’

Greater risks

At leading companies which could boast more than $20 billion in revenue, GCs median pay was $2.76 million, according to a report by compensation researcher Equilar.
However, these lawyers also face greater risks, with recent cases showing that regulators are keen to target in-house lawyers during criminal investigations.