The salary of a Head of Legal in the UK can vary widely depending on the size of the organisation, the industry, the complexity of the legal issues involved, and the location of the company.
A Head of Legal at a small to mid-sized company may earn somewhere in the range of £80,000 to £120,000 per year.
At larger companies or in specialised industries (like technology or finance), the compensation can be significantly higher.
In London salaries for this role are typically higher than the national average due to the high cost of living and the concentration of industries such as finance, technology, and media.
Base salary for a Head of Legal in technology
According to 2023 compensation survey for in-house legal roles in the technology sector by Found Legal, base salary for a Head of Legal based in London ranges as follows:
- £107,000 – £120,000 (salary low)
- £120,000 – £141,000 (salary average – 50% of all HoL earn within this range)
- £141,000 – £160,000 (salary high)
Other forms of compensation for a Head of Legal role
Bonuses, stock options, and other forms of compensation can also contribute to the total remuneration package and can sometimes be a significant portion of the overall compensation.
56% of in-house lawyers with the title of Head of Legal a tech company receive a bonus, usually at the amount of 16-20% of their annual salary, as per same compensation survey by Found Legal,
28% in-housers with the title of Head of Legal receive company equity. According to the survey respondents in this category, the estimated annual cash equivalent is in the range of £25,000 to £30,000 per annum.