iManage Announces Results of 2024 In-house Legal Compensation Survey Report

CHICAGO – February 19, 2025 – iManage, the company dedicated to Making Knowledge Work™, today announced the results of the 2024 In-house Compensation Survey conducted by legal news publication Above the Law and sponsored by iManage. Undertaken between June and September 2024, the survey includes responses from more than 1,100 attorneys, representing organizations of all sizes and more than a dozen industries. Together, their responses provide a valuable snapshot of compensation trends for in-house legal professionals interested in benchmarking their own pay or for attorneys considering a move to an in-house position.

The 2024 report reveals that median total annual compensation has risen for the majority of in-house legal professionals since 2023, from $284,000 to $300,000. Among general counsel and chief legal officers, median pay is now $365,000, up from $325,000 in 2023. However, for junior-level counsel, it is $181,500, down from $196,000.

Median pay is highest at Fortune 1000 companies. Although many respondents at small private companies earn high base salaries, the most substantial bonuses were more often reported by counsel in large legal departments.

The vast majority (86%) of respondents receive a bonus. The most common range reflects 20-29% of their base pay. Additionally, almost half of respondents receive stock as a portion of their compensation package, although it generally represents less than 25% of base pay.

In-house attorneys who reported earning $500,000 or more in total compensation are likely to serve as general counsel or chief legal officer for a private rather than a public company, and to work in either finance or technology. They are also more likely to be male than female.

This gender pay gap persists across multiple measures. Median annual compensation for male respondents is 15% higher than that for female respondents, and male respondents are more likely to report higher base salaries, bigger bonuses, and higher raises.

Location-wise, attorneys in big cities reported higher earnings than their peers in smaller markets. Also, compensation was generally higher on the West Coast and in the Mid-Atlantic region than in other parts of the country.

“iManage is trusted by over one million professionals, including 1,400+ corporate legal departments,” said Michael Powers, Global Director of Product Marketing at iManage. “Sponsoring this survey reflects our commitment to supporting legal teams with valuable insights. As AI investments accelerate across the industry, we remain focused on delivering technology that enhances productivity, mitigates risk, and maximizes secure knowledge sharing for corporate legal teams.”