Organizational and technological improvements are limiting the creation of new positions in legal departments. At the same time, key roles in risk management and regulatory compliance are gaining importance, which is reflected in salary structures and the raises implemented in 2024, according to the latest “Salary and Trends in Enterprises” report from Grafton Recruitment.
Demand for Roles
The demand for roles in legal departments in Q3 2024 reached a value of 0.78. This result is lower than the overall market index (1.04), suggesting moderate growth in employment. Organizational and technological improvements may be influencing this situation by reducing the need for new positions. At the same time, key roles such as risk management in legal areas and regulatory compliance are gaining in importance.
– The stabilization of demand for legal department positions is a natural result of organizational changes and adaptation to new regulations. Employers are focusing on strategic roles that have a real impact on the organization’s functioning, leading to noticeable salary increases – says Michał Piernik, Division & Business Development Manager at Grafton Recruitment.
Salary Table – Warsaw as the Leader
The “Salary and Trends in Enterprises” report from Grafton Recruitment highlights significant salary differences in legal departments depending on the region. Warsaw remains the leader in terms of salary levels – partners in law firms and heads of legal departments can expect salaries of up to PLN 50,000. In other large urban centers, such as Łódź, salaries for these positions are close to those in Warsaw. A significant difference is noted in Poznań, where law firm partners can expect lower salaries, with the upper limit being PLN 40,000.
For in-house lawyers, salaries in the capital range from PLN 12,000 to PLN 22,000, while in Poznań, they range from PLN 11,000 to PLN 17,000. Additionally, for junior positions such as legal assistants, Warsaw stands out, offering salaries between PLN 7,000 and PLN 9,000, making it one of the most attractive cities in the country in terms of compensation.
Salary Dynamics in 2024
The analysis of salaries in 2024 indicates clear increases for key roles in legal departments. The salaries of legal department managers increased by 8.7%, and in-house lawyers saw a rise of 8.3%, reflecting their growing value to organizations. Legal assistants experienced a salary increase of 6.8%, while junior lawyers saw a 6.4% increase. The lowest salary increases were observed in specialized roles, such as Head of Compliance, with a modest rise of only 0.5%, and data protection officers, whose salaries increased by just 0.2%.
– Specialists responsible for legal compliance, data protection, and regulatory oversight are essential for the stability of companies, which is reflected in pay policies. The salary increases for key roles, such as in-house lawyers and legal department managers, result from the growing number of regulations and the need for effective legal risk management – comments Ewa Michalska, Chief Operating Officer at Grafton Recruitment.
About the Report
The Grafton Recruitment report is based on a broad spectrum of market data and internal analysis. The data covers salaries for 2024 and forecasts for early 2025, collected from actual job offers presented to candidates by Grafton Recruitment clients, as well as salaries of participants in recruitment processes. The analysis covered 499,791 unique job advertisements, which were deduplicated to increase accuracy. Additionally, data from one of Poland’s largest job portals, covering the years 2019-2024, was used. The report is the result of a comprehensive study that provides an accurate reflection of the current situation in the job market.
Source: managerplus.pl
