REDWOOD CITY, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/06/12 -- Using data from its 2012 In-Depth Top General Counsel Compensation Report, Equilar, the leader in executive compensation benchmarking and research, found that S&P 1500 general counsel pay increased by 12.8 percent in 2011, more rapidly than that of either CEOs or CFOs, whose median pay increased by 6.2 percent and 8.9 percent, respectively. Equilar also found that the number of general counsel identified as named executive officers among the S&P 1500 index has grown from 494 in 2007 to 591 individuals in 2011, a 20.9 percent increase.

Total median compensation for general counsels was $1.41M, with individuals holding the position at technology, media, and telecom industries receiving the highest median total pay of $1.68M. Conversely, their counterparts in the retail and consumer industries received the lowest median pay of $1.15M.

As companies face a growing number of legal challenges in the current economic climate, the general counsel role has become more vital in protecting company interests. The report also reviews the top general counsel-producing universities and the reporting structure of in-house legal counsel.

The findings of this report have been cited by both The Wall Street Journal and Corporate Counsel, an ALM website. For a complete review of the findings, please request a copy of Equilar's 2012 In-Depth Top General Counsel Compensation Report by visiting www.Equilar.com/gcpayreport.

About Equilar

Equilar is the leading provider of executive compensation and corporate governance data to corporations, nonprofits, consulting firms, institutional investors, and the media. Using its extensive database, Equilar allows clients to accurately benchmark and track executive and board compensation, equity grants, award policies, and compensation practices. Equilar's C-Suite mapping technology also reveals business networking opportunities by identifying pathways to executives and board members at companies of interest. Equilar's research has been consistently cited by Bloomberg, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other leading media outlets.

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