In House Salaries & Market Information
Commerce & Industry
Another difficult year for recruiters and clients alike! Difficult because it has been almost impossible to second guess a still fragile economy that seems to delight in making a sharp about-turn every time things are looking more positive. 12 months ago we were all thinking about the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ and In-House legal departments were echoing the private practice trend for consolidating their teams through steady growth and internal reorganisation. This trend continued into the Spring and we saw healthy growth both in Commerce and Industry and the Financial Services sectors as the markets stabilised and confidence began to return.
As Summer arrived, though, the buzzword became ‘Double-Dip’ as the Eurozone debt crisis appeared to slam the brakes on the initial signs of growth. This turmoil coincided with the now traditional Summer period of quiet and, coupled with the renewed uncertainty surrounding the economy, meant that in-house teams became much more cautious in their recruiting and increasingly found themselves fighting with the ‘powers that be’ to both keep and expand their headcount. This has led to a trend which can best be described as steady, but not spectacular, hiring into in-house legal departments. An unexpected bonus of this approach is that, as private practice lawyers find that their salaries are no longer going up exponentially, they are increasingly looking for that work-life balance and more business orientated challenge offered with in-house roles. This has led to a strong talent pool from which to recruit.
It is impossible to predict accurately how the market will fare going forward but it is, we think, fair to say that the talent is out there for those with the confidence and headcount to go out and get it. All of this adds up to it being an excellent time for in-house employers to bring in the missing link to their team. If the economy takes a turn for the better moving into 2012, those in-house employers who have been biding their time may just miss the boat!
October 2011 - In House Commerce & Industry Legal Salary Survey
| Industry Sector: | NQ-2 | 2-5 pqe | 5-8 pqe | 8+ (Head of Legal) | 12+ (General Counsel) |
| Energy / Utilities | £45,000 - £65,000 |
£55,000 - £85,000 | £75,000 - £110,000 | £105,000 - £110,000 | £130,000 - £350,000 |
| Media / New Media | £40,000 - £60,000 | £50,000 - £75,000 | £65,000 - £95,000 | £90,000 - £130,000 | £110,000 - £250,000 |
| FMCG / Retail | £40,000 - £58,000 | £53,000 - £78,000 | £65,000 -£100,000 | £90,000 - £140,000 | £120,000 - £250,000 |
| Telco | £47,000 - £60,000 | £53,000 - £85,000 | £68,000 - £110,000 | £90,000 - £150,000 | £130,000 - £250,000 |
| Technology | £50,000 - £68,000 | £55,000 - £90,000 | £75,000 - £110,000 | £95,000 - £150,000 | £140,000 - £255,000 |
| Pharmaceutical / Healthcare | £45,000 - £65,000 | £52,000 - £85,000 | £70,000 - £100,000 | £95,000 - £140,000 | £140,000 - £250,000 |
|
Construction / Engineering / |
£45,000 - £65,000 | £50,000 - £87,000 | £75,000 - £120,000 | £100,000 - £155,000 | £130,000 - £250,000 |
| Services | £50,000 - £60,000 | £55,000 - £85,000 | £75,000 - £105,000 | £100,000 - £160,000 | £120,000 - £300,000 |
| Gaming / Gambling |
£50,000 - £60,000 | £55,000 - £85,000 | £70,000 - £100,000 | £95,000 - £150,000 | £110,000 - £250,000 |
| Car Allowance range from |
£4,500 - £13,500 |
| Bonuses range from |
5% - 50% |
To discuss this update or your personal recruitment requirements in detail please contact the legal team at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call on +44 (0) 207 400 2000
