The salary for senior in-house lawyers in the UK can vary significantly depending on the role, the size of the company, the industry, the complexity of the legal issues, and the location.
In general, salaries for senior in-house lawyers range from around £70,000 to £150,000 per year.
In more competitive industries or larger companies, particularly those located in London, this figures are significantly higher.
Senior in-house lawyers’ base salary
London and Thames Valley
Base salary range for London and Thames Valley based roles according to 2023 in-house lawyers in tech salary survey by Found Legal:
Technology and professional services
| Role | Salary low | Salary average | Salary high |
| Senior Legal Counsel | £77,000 – £100,500 | £100,500 – £136,000 | £136,000 – £151,000 |
| Head of Legal | £107,000 – £120,000 | £120,000 – £141,000 | £141,000 – £160,000 |
| Legal Director | £124,000 – £130,000 | £130,000 – £150,000 | £150,000 – £180,000 |
| Deputy / Associate GC | £126,000 – £132,500 | £132,500 – £159,000 | £159,000 – £194,000 |
| GC, VP Legal, CLO | £127,000 – £140,000 | £140,000 – £180,000 | £180,000 – £230,000 |
| Notes | Lowest ¼ of salaries | ½ of all salaries are within this range | Highest ¼ of salaries |
Fintech, Payments, Financial Services, Banking
| Role | Salary low | Salary average | Salary high |
| Senior Legal Counsel | £80,000 – £106,000 | £106,000 – £142,000 | £142,000 – £156,000 |
| Legal Director, Deputy GC, GC, VP | £125,000 – £145,000 | £145,000 – £200,000 | £200,000 – £280,000 |
| Notes | Lowest ¼ of salaries | ½ of all salaries are within this range | Highest ¼ of salaries |
Telecoms, Media, Advertising, Communications
| Role | Salary low | Salary average | Salary high |
| Senior Legal Counsel | £71,000 – £82,000 | £82,000 – £100,000 | £100,000 – £125,000 |
| Legal Director, Deputy GC, GC | £107,000 – £117,000 | £117,000 – £145,000 | £145,000 – £160,000 |
| Notes | Lowest ¼ of salaries | ½ of all salaries are within this range | Highest ¼ of salaries |
North of England, Midlands, South of England
| Role | Salary low | Salary average | Salary high |
| Senior Legal Counsel | £71,000 – £84,500 | £84,500 – £98,500 | £98,500 – £115,000 |
| Legal Director, Deputy GC, GC | £82,000 – £106,500 | £106,500 – £140,000 | £140,000 – £175,000 |
| Notes | Lowest ¼ of salaries | ½ of all salaries are within this range | Highest ¼ of salaries |
Other forms of compensation for senior in-house lawyers
In addition to base salary, senior in-house lawyers are often entitled to participating in the company’s bonus scheme.
Bonus
Percentage of in-house lawyers in tech companies who receive a bonus
Typical bonus percentage for senior in-house lawyers
| Seniority | Typical Bonus |
| 7-10 PQ | ¾ of respondents receive a bonus, predominantly within the range of 6-15% while a smaller proportion receive 16-20% |
| Head of Legal | 6 out of 10 receive a bonus, predominantly within the range of 16-20% |
| Legal Director, Deputy/Ass. GC, GC | 8 out of 10 receive a bonus, predominantly within the range of 21-30%, while a smaller proportion receive 16-20% |
| VP, SVP Legal | Bonus is typically over 30% |
In addition to base salary and bonus, compensation packages for senior in-house lawyers often include car allowance, equity, and other benefits.
These can substantially increase the total remuneration.