Salaries See Modest 1.8% Gains with Energy Up 3% and Life Sciences Close Behind; 2024 Bonuses Fall Short with Financial Sector Posting Largest $38,875 Gap; 60% of GCs Plan to Seek New Roles Driven Primarily by Compensation Concerns
BarkerGilmore LLC, a leading private equity search firm specializing in in-house legal and compliance recruitment, has published its 2025 Private Equity Portfolio Company General Counsel Compensation Report. The report reveals the evolving influence of General Counsel (GCs) within portfolio companies and highlights the disconnect between strategic contribution and financial recognition.
“General Counsel are now among the most influential voices in the C-suite, with responsibilities extending far beyond traditional legal oversight,” said John Gilmore, Managing Partner at BarkerGilmore. “Yet compensation may not always reflect this expanded role, a gap that presents retention risk for portfolio companies operating in increasingly complex environments.”
As one of the most trusted private equity portfolio company headhunters in the legal and compliance space, BarkerGilmore surveyed hundreds of in-house legal leaders across portfolio companies to surface the following insights:
Salaries See Modest Gains with Energy Growing Fastest
Across industries, salary increases in 2025 were generally conservative, with the all-industry average rising 1.8%. The most notable gains came from Energy (3% increase), Technology (2.6% increase), and Life Sciences (2.5% increase). In contrast, the Financial, Industrial, and Non-Profit sectors saw no median salary increase, and Consumer and Healthcare posted minimal growth (1.0% and 1.1%, respectively).
2024 Bonuses Fell Short of Targets Across Most Industries, with Financial Sector Seeing Largest Gap
Across nearly all industries, actual 2024 bonuses fell short of target bonuses, with the Financial sector showing the largest gap, a shortfall of $38,875 from the $187,000 target. In contrast, Healthcare had a much smaller gap ($127,750 target and $100,000 actual), and the Life Sciences ($136,000 target and $130,500 actual) and Non-Profit ($125,500 target and $125,000 actual) industries still maintained strong payouts compared to targets.
Gender Pay Gap Reverses
In a notable shift, women General Counsel reported 3% higher cash compensation ($400,000) than their male counterparts ($388,000). While this is a promising reversal of a longstanding pay gap, broader equity challenges remain.
Life Sciences Tops Industry Salaries
Life Sciences had the highest median base salary, at $362,500, followed by Energy ($350,000) and Financial Services ($325,000).
GCs Are Recognized as Trusted Strategic Advisors
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of General Counsel report that their perspectives on business matters are consistently sought and respected. This underscores the GC’s evolution from legal advisor to enterprise strategist.
Secure, but Searching: Most GCs Plan to Move On
While 58% of General Counsel at portfolio companies feel secure in their current roles, 42% express at least some concern about job stability. Importantly, 60% expect to seek a new job this year. Of those considering a move, the top reason is better compensation and benefits (53%), followed by a desire for new challenges (14%), cultural misalignment (12%), and lack of career growth (6%), among others.
To gain access to the complete report, download BarkerGilmore’s 2025 Private Equity Portfolio Company General Counsel Compensation Report.
About BarkerGilmore
Founded in 2006, BarkerGilmore is a premier private equity recruiting firm dedicated exclusively to the recruitment, coaching, and advisory of in-house legal and compliance leaders. With a national team of former Fortune 500 General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officers, the firm offers unmatched peer-level insight and precision hiring capabilities.
Whether you’re building your legal function for a newly acquired portfolio company or upgrading executive talent mid-hold, BarkerGilmore’s bespoke approach and deep sector expertise make it the trusted choice among private equity headhunters.
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