Lawyers and Salaries

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Posted by dgtlsunshine

Though you guys get tons of brownie points b/c you get to say 'I am a lawyer' :)

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Or people aim for us with their cars.

jannshari, Are you still going to practice P.I. once you open your firm?

ETA: maybe you'll be needing a clerk?

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Posted by dgtlsunshine

Ok I guess I am an idiot b/c I thought lawyers made 100k once they passed the bar. Its ok for everyone to smack me now

Salary isn't everything though. I would think once you get experience you can really get the ball rolling. Just like someone said they are talking partnership now.

Though you guys get tons of brownie points b/c you get to say 'I am a lawyer' :)

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OMG, I want to live in your world where I make 100k and people don't call me Ally McBeal (which to a real life female attorney is an INSULT). I know so many lawyer jokes, I could write a book.

Back to the original question, I think your friend needs to consider the growth potential of the firm and her ability to build her own practice. 30k seems pretty low to me. I am in MD and our average starting rate for a small firm is slightly higher than that. But in the right situation, your friend can move up the ranks quicker and build a reputation for herself at a smaller firm as opposed to a large firm.

I have learned to view my law degree (and all those student loans) as an investment. My salary was at one point lower than all of the teachers I know, but my yearly increases are much higher than anyone else I know and I left all those teachers behind two years after I started practicing.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is me right now

I've been working for lawyers for 9 years as a legal assistant/word processor - I've busted my butt but I'm making high 40's with plenty of benefits, vacation time and only a 4 day work week. And here I am wanting to go to law school so I can more than double that salary and you're telling me that I can wind up making LESS with a degree than without one? For that I might as well stay in my current position!

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Posted by gaby25

jannshari, Are you still going to practice P.I. once you open your firm?

ETA: maybe you'll be needing a clerk?

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No, Gaby, I hope to be earning a living when I have my own firm. We'll still do some pro bono work, but we'll be chasing after the paying clients.

I graduated from law school in 1998 and went to work for the City of New York - back then the starting salary was in the $40s plus we had a NYC residency requirement - that salary was low considering over $1K in rent/utilities, etc a month and I wasn't even living in Manhattan. I put my time in (a 3 year commitment but i stayed for 4) --when I left I was making about $60K. I got invaluable experience and was able to work for a mid-size employment firm in NJ where I make decent money (is it ever really enough)?!

I think 30K sounds low but from what I hear, that's the going rate for LI. It's discouraging but if you can't get into the top firms, pay your dues and your salary will increase.

I should also add that I graduated in 2002 and although I'm not in my dream job, I've gotten so much experience in the 15 months that I've been at this job. Experience is immeasuarble, IMO, and the fact that I've already been able to make a name for myself in the court and with judges is a major plus. I had my first (and only) trial in the first half of last year, far ahead of many of my law school colleagues. We settle most of our cases and they are not long, drawn out proceedings like normal civil cases, but I've learned to speak in front of judges without getting nervous on a very regular basis, learned the art of negotiating a settlement, how the courts really work, etc. Many of those people pulling in $125,000 to start are stuffed into a room all day long for 16 hours a day sifting through paper or doing research and will have to wait several years before having any real client contact or before speaking in front of a judge.

It's a balancing game. Would I love to be making 5 times more than I am now? Hell yeah! Would I love to be making it at the expense of the experience I've received? Hell no!

I think 30K sounds low. I make higher than 40K, and I've been working as a legal secretary for a little over 3 years.

I thought lawyers worked on an hourly rate? I think they make good money if they're putting in a lot of hours and/or bringing in the clients which in turn makes it faster for them to be partner.

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Posted by violet

I thought lawyers worked on an hourly rate? I think they make good money if they're putting in a lot of hours and/or bringing in the clients which in turn makes it faster for them to be partner.

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Lawyers charge at an hourly rate...they generally get paid salary..

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Posted by jannshari

I've gotten so much experience in the 15 months that I've been at this job. Experience is immeasuarble, IMO, and the fact that I've already been able to make a name for myself in the court and with judges is a major plus.

I've learned to speak in front of judges without getting nervous on a very regular basis, learned the art of negotiating a settlement, how the courts really work, etc. Many of those people pulling in $125,000 to start are stuffed into a room all day long for 16 hours a day sifting through paper or doing research and will have to wait several years before having any real client contact or before speaking in front of a judge.

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My brother worked for Legal Aid, and although I don't think his starting salary was that much, the experience was wonderful and extremely valuable. He went to court often, and found it to be a very challenging job.

I think if it wasn't for pressure to join the family company, he's still be there.

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Posted by eroxgirl

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is me right now

I've been working for lawyers for 9 years as a legal assistant/word processor - I've busted my butt but I'm making high 40's with plenty of benefits, vacation time and only a 4 day work week. And here I am wanting to go to law school so I can more than double that salary and you're telling me that I can wind up making LESS with a degree than without one? For that I might as well stay in my current position!

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Unfortnately this is why I stayed working as a legal assistant instead of going further. I put my dreams of going for a law degree on hold (permanently now) when I saw how overworked and underpaid female attorneys are out there.

If you are willing to sacrifice your life, free time and sanity, you can make more $$ working at a big firm in NYC .. but they'll eat you up and spit you out first before you realize that its just not worth it. I can honestly say that after 15 years working at law firms in Manhattan, the normal people just give it up for life in the 'burbs after awhile. One of my present bosses (a male) just came up to me not 10 minutes ago and said half-jokingly 'if you want to start helping me with my resume, that would be great.' He doing the LIRR commute everyday with 3 little ones at home, and cannot even take a day off without getting 'agita.'
Even working in my capacity in NYC has its moments of insanity sometimes

Annie, no debate. I'm basing my knowledge on what I hear from friends working at big firms for a high salary, not just conjecture. I would imagine it totally depends on the type of firm you work for, the area of law in which you practice within that firm, and a whole host of other factors. You may just be one of the lucky ones that got into the right firm!

I just want to preface by saying that I'm not an attorney --however I have a friend who is a senior legal asst at White & Case (a large corporate law firm in NYC) and she said first yr associates start anywhere from 80-125k, depending on the dept. She is in trademarks/patents law.

I have another friend who is an attorney for the city of NY and she has been working for almost 9 yrs in the profession and she makes about 60 - I guess that is the discrepancy....(large corporate law firm, small law firm, city legal counsel) ....I guess your friend will have to factor in the other benefits of the job before she makes a decision.