I love this annual list of Fortune 1000 general counsel compensation that Corporate Counsel puts together.  Mainly because it validates the value of the role.  But also, I enjoy celebrating the success of many people on this list who I have the good fortune to know.

In my opinion, the general counsel chair is the pinnacle of the legal profession within the private sector.  It’s noteworthy that this is hardly a voluntary list.  Most GCs would prefer to keep their compensation private.  These individuals are among the top five highest paid employees at their respective publicly traded companies.  SEC rules force the pay disclosure.