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Tracking the Evolution of In-House Counsel Compensation in 2025 By KATIE GILMORE
O
ver the past few years, the general counsel position has become one of the most consequential roles in the C-suite. For many lawyers, it represents a career pinnacle and a platform to play an important role in enterprise success. However, the rate of in-house counsel compensation growth has slowed in the current climate against a backdrop of macroeconomic uncertainty and market volatility. Companies appear to be exercising greater discretion in GC compensation planning, even as they lean more heavily on that role to guide strategic decisions through turbulent times. In 2025, the median salary increase for GCs was 2.5%, a notable slowdown from the 4.4% rise reported in 2024, BACK TO CONTENTS
according to BarkerGilmore’s 2025 In-House Counsel Compensation Report, conducted in February and March of 2025. Based on a survey of more than 2,700 legal professionals, the report sheds light on compensation trends, career paths, and leadership traits that define today’s successful GCs.
BONUSES STEADY DESPITE HEADWINDS This slowdown in compensation growth likely reflects broader market headwinds, including economic and political uncertainty, tighter corporate budgets, and volatility in sectors including tech and finance. Not surprisingly, nearly 60% of in-house
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025
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