If I ask the average person on the street, or at least the average 1L in the library, they’ll tell me that general counsel for big banks make the most money.
Bank GCs make a lot of money, of course, but they’re not at the top of the market. That’s because working for the bank just takes up a lot of your time. Working for other industries takes something more, and that’s why they pay you the big bucks.
ALM Legal Intelligence looked at GC pay by industry. Here are the top five:
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1. Entertainment
2. Mining-Crude Oil Production
3. Chemicals
4. Utilities
5. Tobacco
LOL. You can read the full top 10 on Corporate Counsel. Banking makes the list but… you can see the trend here.
They don’t give you money for saving the sea turtles or helping food banks around the world. They pay you the money for aiding awfulness. “Hey, your high-profile client has probably been jerking off to colleagues while sitting at his desk. Here’s your check, go defend him!” Go defend Big Oil and Big Tobacco. Your kids will get all the toys under the tree!
In America, there aren’t a lot of ways to make money without causing damage to the rest of America. That’s capitalism, baby! Now excuse me, I’m sure there’s a lawyer who needs to be internet-shamed so I can profit.
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The Top Ten Best Paying Industries for General Counsel [Corporate Counsel]
Elie Mystal is the Executive Editor of Above the Law and the Legal Editor for More Perfect. He can be reached @ElieNYC on Twitter, or at [email protected]. He will resist.