The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) and Empsight International released the 2026 Law Department Compensation Survey in September 2026. Built from 1,627 in-house counsel and legal operations professionals across the United States, it benchmarks pay for 23 in-house legal job titles, with data effective March 1, 2026. The detailed results are for ACC members and paying subscribers, but ACC has shared the key findings. Here are the highlights.
This post is part of our In-House Counsel Salaries Guide, which collects the latest in-house pay surveys in one place.
In this post: Key findings · Company size · Specialties and background · Getting the full data · Quick answers · What it means for your career
ACC Compensation Survey 2026: Key Findings
- Size matters most at the top. General counsel and chief legal officers at large companies earn a median base salary 90% higher than their counterparts at smaller organizations.
- Every role pays more at larger companies. ACC found that for every in-house legal role, both base salary and total compensation are higher at larger companies.
- Division general counsel saw the biggest gains. Division and subsidiary general counsel base salary rose 22% and total cash compensation 20% since 2023.
- Promotions rarely bring big raises. Most promoted lawyers received raises under 10%, though 16% reported increases of 20% or more.
- Pay matters more than it satisfies. Respondents rated compensation 9.0 out of 10 for importance but 6.5 for satisfaction.
Company Size and the General Counsel Premium
The 90% gap in median base salary for general counsel is the survey’s headline. Empsight’s Jeremy Feinstein summed it up: “Size matters in legal pay, but responsibility matters just as much.” For a sense of how wide the gap gets, a 2024 comparison reported by Lexpert, found that general counsel at companies with more than $5 billion in revenue earned 66% more in base salary and 144% more in total compensation than those at companies under $1 billion. See current openings, many with posted salaries, on our General Counsel Jobs page.
Specialties and Background
Lawyers specializing in securities, IP and patent litigation, antitrust, M&A and pension or ERISA work are among the most highly paid, according to the survey. Graduates of top law schools and lawyers who came from law firms also earn more, while pay for legal operations directors has largely stagnated. The most represented industries were technology, manufacturing, financial services, insurance and healthcare.
Getting the Full Data
ACC’s executive summary is available to members, and the full results, with median and percentile pay by title and segment, are sold through Empsight. Companies with revenue of $3 billion or more can also buy a separate company-sourced edition covering 93 benchmark positions. ACC publishes the survey each September.
ACC Compensation Survey: Quick Answers
How much more do general counsel at large companies earn?
According to ACC’s 2026 survey, general counsel and chief legal officers at large companies earn a median base salary 90% higher than those at smaller organizations.
Who took part in the ACC survey?
1,627 in-house counsel and legal operations professionals across the United States, surveyed between April and June 2026, with pay data effective March 1, 2026.
Which in-house lawyers are paid the most?
Beyond general counsel, ACC found securities, IP and patent litigation, antitrust, M&A and pension or ERISA specialists among the most highly paid.
Is the ACC compensation survey free?
No. ACC’s press release is public, the executive summary is for members, and the full data is sold through Empsight. For free pay figures by title, see our posts on Major, Lindsey & Africa, Robert Half and LHH.
What It Means for Your Career
- Going for a promotion? Since most promotions bring raises under 10%, an outside move is often the bigger pay jump. See our guide to Negotiating an In-House Job Offer.
- Comparing surveys? See the ACC findings alongside Robert Half, LHH, Larson Maddox, BarkerGilmore and Major, Lindsey & Africa in our In-House Counsel Salaries Guide.
- Ready to look? Browse current In-House Counsel Jobs, General Counsel Jobs and Deputy General Counsel Jobs, where featured jobs show the posted salary.