Female General Counsels Outearn Male Counterparts by 8% at Equilar 500 Firms

Amid recent discussions surrounding gender wage gaps, a surprising trend has emerged in the role of GC.

Female General Counsels Outearn Male Counterparts by 8% at Equilar 500 Firms

According to the BarkerGilmore and Equilar General Counsel Pay Trends Reports for 2023, female General Counsels at Equilar 500 companies are earning more than their male counterparts – by nearly 8%.

General Counsel roles, bearing immense responsibility and requiring a wealth of knowledge and experience in legal affairs, are prestigious positions held in significant corporations. The trend of higher compensation for women in these roles counteracts the long-standing disparities often observed in other fields and positions. Furthermore, this data may provide impetus for discussions about gender wage dynamics in other high-level job roles and sectors.

Yet, it’s crucial not to view these findings in isolation or define them as a comprehensive defeat of the gender pay gap. Although positive, this development represents a specific subset of the professional landscape and does not negate the existence of persistent gender inequality in compensation across numerous industries.

To answer the daily trivia question from Above the Law, the precise median compensation for women in the General Counsel role at Equilar 500 companies remains undisclosed. However, the disclosed information implies that these professionals are enjoying a substantial salary, reportedly exceeding those of their male counterparts by roughly 8%.

While this is a welcome development, it invites further scrutiny into the broader landscape of compensatory structures and gender equality at significant corporations and law firms worldwide.

Customer Stories

See how leading enterprise in-house teams have scaled smarter with Legal.io's high-caliber flex talent.

More from Legal.io


3 Ways to Maintain A Healthy Work-Life Balance
3 Ways to Maintain A Healthy Work-Life Balance

Did you know that hunter-gatherers need to work for only around 20 hours per week to feed themselves? That was the norm throughout most of human history, but when human beings first discovered agriculture and began living in settled communities around 12,000 years ago in the Levant, this figure slowly began to creep up (which has long led archaeologists and ancient historians to speculate as to why humans began farming in the first place).   Modern lawyers, of course, regularly face working weeks of 40 hours, sometimes rising to 50 and beyond. Now, there are of course a few perks available to the modern lawyer that were not accessible to ancient hunter-gatherers or the first farming communities. But the point is that it’s not natural to be on call for work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To stay healthy and enjoy our time on Earth, we need to maintain some kind of work-life balance. Here are some tips to help you do exactly that. 

Jul 06, 2020
Read More
Community Discussion: How do you foster a culture of efficiency in your legal department
Community Discussion: How do you foster a culture of efficiency in your legal department

Legal Ops professionals discuss how they cultivate a mindset of efficiency in their department.

Oct 08, 2023
Read More
Top Court’s Illumina-Grail Ruling Deals Major Blow to EU Merger Policy

The EU’s merger oversight capabilities have taken a significant blow following a key ruling by the CJEU in the Illumina-Grail acquisition case. The court urged EU regulators to stick to revenue thresholds for examining mergers.

Sep 03, 2024
Read More
E-Discovery: Insights from Recent Case Law
E-Discovery: Insights from Recent Case Law

Explore the dynamic shifts in e-discovery practices influenced by the explosion of data volumes and diversity of communication channels. Gain insights from Exterro's analysis of key rulings and learn essential strategies for staying compliant and effective in the modern legal landscape.

Nov 22, 2023
Read More
The Top Things to Remember When You’re Starting a New Job
The Top Things to Remember When You’re Starting a New Job

Hands have been shaken on your job offer (most likely by email) and arrangements have been set. Now it’s time for the job to begin. Perhaps you feel yourself transported back to the first day of elementary school as you put on your smartest work clothes and head off into the unknown. But whatever you’re feeling, there are a number of things you can do to set yourself up for success during your first few weeks at your new firm. Let’s consider this key initial period.

Jun 16, 2020
Read More
Ready to hire?

Schedule a free consultation to discuss your hiring needs.

Free 15-min consultation
Legal.io Platform
5 star reviews
Hiring made smarter

Easy-to-use platform for hiring legal talent, managing spend, and optimizing your panel — plus an average savings of 50%.

Need Immediate Help?

Submit a hiring request and let our experts handle the entire process for you.