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19 Nov

The Disappearance of the 40-Hour Workweek for In-House Counsel

by: Astor Professional Search

The dream of the 9-to-5 in-house workweek is quickly unraveling, reports Melissa Maleske of Law360.  A 2015 global census by the Association of Corporate Counsel found that worldwide, in-house counsel workweeks average at 49 hours, with India reporting the highest average hours at 54 per week.  The U.S. falls only slightly behind with a 50-hour week average.

Business people working in conference room

The 2015 ACC Global Census also ascertained that close to 80 percent of in-house counsels work 40 to 59 hours per week.  The research and development industry were reported to have the highest increase in in-house counsel workloads.

Salaries have also moved towards the extremes, with “more corporate counsels making $100,000 or less and making $300,000 or more,” Law360 reports from the census.

The ACC concludes that that while “many cite greater work-life balance as a key factor in coming in-house…in-house lawyers are [now] working an extended workweek.”

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William Sugarman

William Sugarman is the president and founder of Astor Professional Search. He engages in the successful placement of attorneys with local, regional, and international law firms and corporations. Bill’s extensive legal and business development experience give Astor an edge over other legal recruiters nationwide. At the cornerstone of Bill’s strategic philosophy is providing the highest level of personalized attention to his clients and attorney candidates. This is also a key factor that separates Astor from other legal search firms, and it consistently delivers legal placements year after year.

Years of Experience: More than 20 years

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