Women General Counsel Outearned Men in 2025
The pay gap for top legal officers shifted as women negotiated larger stock-based compensation packages.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Public Companies
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In 2025, women serving as general counsel at large U.S. companies earned approximately 16% more than their male counterparts. The data highlights a notable shift in executive pay structures for senior legal roles.
Why it matters
The earnings gap reflects the growing importance of stock awards in executive compensation packages, as success in negotiating these equity-based components significantly influences total pay outcomes for corporate leadership.
An Equilar study of senior legal officers at the largest U.S. firms found women earned a 16% pay premium compared to men, nearly doubling the previous 8.5% benchmark.
The players
Equilar
An executive compensation and governance research firm that analyzes pay data for large public corporations.
The details
The earnings disparity was primarily driven by the ability of women in general counsel roles to secure larger stock awards than their male peers. As equity compensation often forms the largest share of executive pay, these negotiated awards create significant variance in total annual earnings. This result illustrates how effectively high-level legal talent leverages equity incentives during contract negotiations.
Timeline
The compensation study covered data throughout 2025.
Market Landscape
This finding follows the broader Equilar executive compensation research series tracking pay disparities among high-level corporate officers. It highlights a departure from traditional industry norms regarding compensation parity for legal executives.
Owners and board members should revisit their equity compensation structures for senior legal counsel to ensure competitiveness in hiring. Focus on how your own equity-based performance incentives compare to industry-wide benchmarks for top-tier legal talent.
The takeaway
Negotiating total compensation increasingly requires a focus on equity components rather than just base salary. Business leaders should monitor these compensation patterns when benchmarking their own executive recruitment strategies for the coming year.
Further reading
For more on executive compensation trends, see the Public Companies section.
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