As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a General Counsel in Chicago, IL is $296,186. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $270,186 to $332,399, with most professionals earning between $246,514 and $365,370.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $332,399 | $27,700 | $6,392 | $160 |
| Average | $296,186 | $24,682 | $5,696 | $142 |
| 25th Percentile | $270,186 | $22,515 | $5,196 | $130 |
An entry-level General Counsel with under 1 year experience makes about $280,275. With less than 2 years of experience, a mid-level General Counsel makes around $282,604. After 2-4 years, the General Counsel pay rises to about $285,708. Those senior General Counsel with 5-8 years of experience earn roughly $289,589, and those General Counsel having 8 years or more experience are expected to earn about $293,469 on average.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level General Counsel | $280,275 |
| Intermediate Level General Counsel | $282,604 |
| Senior Level General Counsel | $285,708 |
| Specialist Level General Counsel | $289,589 |
| Expert Level General Counsel | $293,469 |
| Entry Level | 2% |
| Mid Level | 1% |
| Senior Level | 0% |
| Top Level | 1% |
| Experienced | 2% |
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Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Problem Solving: Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
Legal Advice: Giving a professional or formal opinion regarding the substance or procedure of the law about a particular factual situation.
Intellectual Property: Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind. It can be an invention (patent / utility model), a design (industrial design), a brand name (trademark, or a literary and artistic work (copyright).
| Skill | Salary | Demand |
|---|---|---|
|
Corporate Development
|
$331,728 |
12%
|
|
Oral Communication
|
$322,843 |
9%
|
|
Due Diligence
|
$322,843 |
9%
|
|
Legal Compliance
|
$316,919 |
7%
|
|
Insight
|
$316,919 |
7%
|
|
Corporate Governance
|
$316,919 |
7%
|
