The post-Enron governance clampdown sent pay for top US in-house lawyers soaring last year, according to new research that shows take-home pay for general counsel at the US’ largest companies rocketed by more than 15%.

The annual survey of general counsel at the US’ top 100 companies, compiled by Corporate Counsel magazine, has revealed that the median average earnings of the group reached $1.34m (£764,000), up by 15.5% on 2003′s $1.16m (£661,000).