As the in-house legal market continues to evolve, compensation structures, leadership expectations, and career dynamics are shifting in ways that are reshaping both legal talent strategy and the role of today’s legal leaders.
In this session, John Gilmore, Managing Partner of BarkerGilmore, and Brittney McDonough, Partner of BarkerGilmore, share insights from the 2026 In-House Counsel Compensation Report and discuss the trends shaping compensation, hiring, retention, and leadership across the in-house legal market.
The conversation explores compensation stabilization, widening executive-level pay driven by equity and long-term incentives, and shifting candidate expectations around influence, visibility, and growth opportunity. The session also examines how organizations increasingly expect legal leaders to operate as strategic business partners with executive presence, business judgment, and enterprise-wide perspective.
Additional discussion topics include interview and negotiation strategies, differences between PE-backed and public company environments, evolving talent mobility trends, and the impact of AI and leaner legal teams on the future of legal leadership.
Designed for General Counsel and in-house counsel, the session offers practical insight into compensation strategy, leadership expectations, and the evolving dynamics shaping legal talent today.
John Gilmore, Brittney McDonough, and our team of professionals are happy to help accelerate the initiatives that you’re already pursuing or to supplement your current strategic thinking to help you realize your vision. Please reach out if you or your organization may benefit from our recruiting, leadership development, coaching, or advising services. Let BarkerGilmore help you build and optimize your legal and compliance departments.
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