Source: Bloomberg Law
Apple’s General Counsel Katherine Adams earned $27.2 million in 2024, highlighting how in-house counsel roles have evolved beyond their “lifestyle job” reputation. Since joining in 2017, Adams has sold $140 million in Apple stock while retaining $42.4 million in shares.
“In-house responsibilities have increased in scope and complexity exponentially,” Adams said at University of Chicago Law School, describing an “Armageddon of change” in corporate law. Her role spans compliance, governance, security, IP, litigation, and privacy.
This evolution is evident in Apple’s recent $95 million Siri privacy settlement and the hiring of Hilary Ware from Netflix/Discord as privacy legal head. With Adams’ compensation nearly matching CEO Tim Cook’s $74.6 million package, it’s clear that legal leadership has become central to Big Tech’s business strategy.
Adams’ journey through Supreme Court clerkships and the DOJ to managing Apple’s global legal challenges shows how in-house counsel must now combine legal expertise with business and technical acumen.
Read more: Bloomberg Law
