The rigorous compliance environment in the United States following Sarbanes-Oxley has turned into a real money spinner for attorneys.

According to the 2007 Altman Weil Law Department Compensation Benchmarking Survey, pay packages for lawyers rose sharply with bonuses going up by as much as 43 per cent. Total compensation for in-house lawyers rose by 8 to 14 per cent while compensation for staff attorneys rose 23 per cent. "In this era of increasing compliance complexity and shareholder activism, it is not surprising corporations are paying a premium for attorneys with in-demand practice specialties," commented John Lipsey, Vice President of Corporate Counsel Services for Martindale-hubbell.

And SOX continues to deliver results for accountants.

While growth has tapered off for the accounting firms, they are recording double digit increases in earnings, according to the latest Public Accounting Report 2007 Top 100, published by CCH.

More confirmation that some sections of the economy are doing very well out of Sarbanes-Oxley. Even if businesses are struggling.