How long does it take to become a corporate counsel?

It takes between 7 to 12 years to become a corporate counsel. Becoming a corporate lawyer involves seven years of college-level education, as well as hands-on law experience in corporate cases.

How much do corporate counsels make?

Corporate counsels make, on average, $121,000 a year ($58.65 an hour). There is a considerable range in how much a corporate counsel can make, starting from as little as $76,000 a year to as much as $195,000 a year. Factors such as location and industry impact how much a corporate lawyer can make.

What degree do you need to be a corporate counsel?

You need a law degree to be a corporate counsel. A corporate counsel, much like a regular lawyer, will need to complete law school. Unlike regular lawyers, they will also need to have an in-depth understanding of corporate and business law.

What is the difference between corporate counsel and general counsel?

The difference between corporate counsel and general counsel comes down to the scope and responsibilities of the job. General counsel, for example, is typically the title given to the highest-ranking in-house lawyer within a legal department, and that person is usually a c-suite executive like the COO or CFO of an organization. Corporate counsel, on the other hand, is usually just a job title within a legal department.

How To Become A Corporate Counsel: What It Is and Career Path

What is a corporate counsel and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A corporate counsel is a legal professional employed by a corporation to provide legal advice and representation. Corporate counsels handle legal matters including contracts, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, employment law, and litigation. Their duties include drafting legal documents, negotiating deals, managing lawsuits, and providing legal advice. Corporate counsels may also act as strategic advisors to the company's management team and may help to guide the organization's overall direction and reputation.

ScoreCorporate CounselUS Average

Salary

8.7

Avg. Salary $142,515

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 6.29%

Black or African American 5.46%

Hispanic or Latino 7.68%

Unknown 4.37%

White 75.91%

Gender

female 40.24%

male 59.76%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a corporate counsel?

Pros

High salary and good benefits
Challenging and intellectually stimulating work
Opportunities for professional growth and advancement
Potential for a flexible work schedule
Access to resources and support from a dedicated legal team

Cons

Long hours and high workload, especially during peak periods
High levels of stress and pressure to meet deadlines
Limited autonomy and control over decision-making processes
Limited opportunities for work-life balance or time off
Limited interaction with clients or external stakeholders

Key steps to become a corporate counsel

Explore corporate counsel education requirements

Most common corporate counsel degrees

Doctorate

49.8 %

Bachelor's

41.5 %

Master's

7.3 %

Start to develop specific corporate counsel skills

Skills	Percentages
Legal Issues	8.59%
Litigation	8.49%
Legal Advice	8.37%
Intellectual Property	6.38%
Legal Support	6.25%

Complete relevant corporate counsel training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New corporate counsels learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a corporate counsel based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real corporate counsel resumes.

Research corporate counsel duties and responsibilities

Lead and conduct interrogatories and depositions.
Develop, implement and manage key business ethics programs including FCPA compliance and other anti-bribery/anti-kickback programs.
Manage all product liability, general commercial, environmental, intellectual property and real estate relate claims and litigation matters.
Manage all aspects of lease-relate litigation involving commercial, collection and personal injury lawsuits, including case planning and discovery processes.

Prepare your corporate counsel resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your corporate counsel resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a corporate counsel resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable corporate counsel resume templates

Build a professional corporate counsel resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your corporate counsel resume.