Hiring for Legal & Compliance in Mainland China.
The Legal & Compliance recruitment market remained relatively stable throughout 2023, with the primary focus being on job replacement. Companies are raising their expectations in terms of the candidates they hire and prioritising cost-effectiveness, resulting in longer recruitment processes and increasing the difficulty of hiring.
It’s worth mentioning that due to the impact of personal data protection laws, there is a clear upward demand trend in the field of Data Protection Officers (DPOs). Major companies are accelerating their efforts in establishing and implementing data protection measures.
The top 3 things Legal & Compliance talent look for when moving jobs:
- 1
Meaningful and impactful work
- 2
Offering career progression opportunities
- 3
Higher salary
In demand roles
- Senior Legal Counsel
- Legal Counsel/Manager
- DPO (Data Privacy Officer)
- Compliance Officer
Valuable skill sets
- Corporate Commercial
- Digital/E-commerce/Marketing
- IP
- Litigation
- Data Privacy
- FCPA/Anti-bribery
- Investigation
Up, down or flat? The state of salaries.
Salary levels have not experienced significant growth. Due to changes in the overall supply and demand dynamics, hiring companies now have more leverage in salary negotiations, with increases generally ranging between 10-20%.
From the perspective of law firms, salaries have slightly declined due to the impact of business and market conditions. This decline is across decreased bonuses and smaller increments in salary adjustments.
As a sought-after position, Data Protection Officers (DPOs) have experienced a notable increase in overall compensation levels. The growth in salary for this role is substantial.
Legal & Compliance salaries in Mainland China
| Job Title | Sector | Sub Sector | Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job Title | Sector | Sub Sector | Location | Low | Average | High |
Entry Level - Corporate Legal / Compliance |
Corporate Legal & Compliance | Shanghai | ¥100,000 | ¥180,000 | ¥250,000 | |
Junior Counsel - Corporate Legal / Compliance |
Corporate Legal & Compliance | Shanghai | ¥200,000 | ¥350,000 | ¥500,000 | |
Mid-Level - Corporate Legal / Compliance |
Corporate Legal & Compliance | Shanghai | ¥400,000 | ¥500,000 | ¥650,000 | |
Senior Counsel - Corporate Legal / Compliance |
Corporate Legal & Compliance | Shanghai | ¥600,000 | ¥800,000 | ¥1,200,000 | |
Director - Corporate Legal / Compliance |
Corporate Legal & Compliance | Shanghai | ¥1,000,000 | ¥1,400,000 | ¥2,000,000 | |
VP/SVP/General Counsel |
Corporate Legal & Compliance | Shanghai | ¥1,500,000 | ¥2,500,000 | ¥5,000,000 | |
Junior IP Counsel |
IP | Shanghai | ¥150,000 | ¥250,000 | ¥350,000 | |
Mid - Level IP |
IP | Shanghai | ¥300,000 | ¥550,000 | ¥800,000 | |
Senior IP Counsel |
IP | Shanghai | ¥600,000 | ¥900,000 | ¥1,200,000 | |
IP Director |
IP | Shanghai | ¥1,000,000 | ¥1,400,000 | ¥1,800,000 | |
Head of IP |
IP | Shanghai | ¥1,200,000 | ¥1,800,000 | ¥2,500,000 | |
1st Year Associate - New York Rate New York Rate New York Rate |
Private Practice | New York Rate | Shanghai | ¥1,288,200 | ¥1,457,700 | ¥1,593,300 |
3rd Year Associate - New York Rate New York Rate New York Rate |
Private Practice | New York Rate | Shanghai | ¥1,491,600 | ¥1,695,000 | ¥1,898,400 |
5th Year Associate - New York Rate New York Rate New York Rate |
Private Practice | New York Rate | Shanghai | ¥2,034,000 | ¥2,339,100 | ¥2,440,800 |
7th Year Associate - New York Rate New York Rate New York Rate |
Private Practice | New York Rate | Shanghai | ¥2,373,000 | ¥2,712,000 | ¥2,847,600 |
1st Year Associate - Non US International Law Firms Non - US International Law Firms Non - US International Law Firms |
Private Practice | Non - US International Law Firms | Shanghai | ¥400,000 | ¥600,000 | ¥800,000 |
3rd Year Associate - Non US International Law Firms Non - US International Law Firms Non - US International Law Firms |
Private Practice | Non - US International Law Firms | Shanghai | ¥500,000 | ¥700,000 | ¥1,000,000 |
5th Year Associate - Non US International Law Firms Non - US International Law Firms Non - US International Law Firms |
Private Practice | Non - US International Law Firms | Shanghai | ¥600,000 | ¥900,000 | ¥1,200,000 |
7th Year Associate - Non US International Law Firms Non - US International Law Firms Non - US International Law Firms |
Private Practice | Non - US International Law Firms | Shanghai | ¥900,000 | ¥1,200,000 | ¥1,600,000 |
1st Year Associate - Leading Local Firms Leading Local Firms Leading Local Firms |
Private Practice | Leading Local Firms | Shanghai | ¥300,000 | ¥380,000 | ¥420,000 |
3rd Year Associate - Leading Local Firms Leading Local Firms Leading Local Firms |
Private Practice | Leading Local Firms | Shanghai | ¥380,000 | ¥450,000 | ¥500,000 |
5th Year Associate - Leading Local Firms Leading Local Firms Leading Local Firms |
Private Practice | Leading Local Firms | Shanghai | ¥500,000 | ¥600,000 | ¥750,000 |
7th Year Associate - Leading Local Firms Leading Local Firms Leading Local Firms |
Private Practice | Leading Local Firms | Shanghai | ¥700,000 | ¥800,000 | ¥1,000,000 |
Counsel/Salary Partner Leading Local Firms Leading Local Firms |
Private Practice | Leading Local Firms | Shanghai | ¥800,000 | ¥1,000,000 | ¥1,300,000 |
Download Your 2024 Legal & Compliance Salary Guide for Mainland China.
Permanent, temporary and contract salary data for a range of Legal & Compliance roles, as well as insights and advice to guide your talent strategies.
