General Counsel Compensation

Some highlights from the Barker Gilmore firm’s 2023 Private Equity and Portfolio Company In-House Counsel Compensation Report include:

• GC’s median salary at portfolio companies ranges from $284,000 at firms with under $500K in revenue to $357K at firms exceeding $5 billion-plus in revenue

• Cash bonuses and long-term incentives greatly impact total GC compensation

• At portfolio companies with $5 billion-plus in revenue, they earn a median of $1.4 million

• General Counsel at portfolio companies have a 53 percent likelihood of serving as Chief Compliance Officer

• Chief Compliance Officers at funds exceeding $10 billion in assets under management earn annual median compensation of $538,000

• When a private equity firm’s assets under management exceed $1 billion, GC compensation and carry eligibility increase significantly

• At funds with more than $10 billion AUM, their annual median compensation is $1.19 million, with 90 percent eligible for carry, and an expected carry value of $9 million

• Managing Counsel at portfolio companies are likely to have restricted stock units and stock options as their long-term incentives

• Chief Compliance Officers are the most mobile of those surveyed. Forty percent are inclined to look for new jobs based on compensation