Best Paying Lawyer Gigs

Graduate School Law School
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<p>What are the best paying lawyer gigs? What areas of law are in need of lawyers for the upcoming years?</p>

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<p>The highest paid lawyers are big city, 400+ lawyer firms. A 1st year associate at one of these firms can start out at as much as $125k/year, and the partners at these firms can make up to and exceed $2 million/year.</p>

<p>The following sites provide some helpful general information:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.ilrg.com/employment/salaries/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.ilrg.com/employment/salaries/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.law.com/special/professionals/recorder/2003/associate_salary_survey.shtml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.law.com/special/professionals/recorder/2003/associate_salary_survey.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

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<p>Here is one more site...</p>

<p><a href="http://www.law.com/special/professionals/nlj/earn/earns_1.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.law.com/special/professionals/nlj/earn/earns_1.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Granted it is from 2000.</p>

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<p>MPower996: "The highest paid lawyers are big city, 400+ lawyer firms."</p>

<p>Wrong. They are the highest paid lawyers that have a steady job. Mass Tort lawyers can make hundreds of millions of dollars on big cases. </p>

<p>Faithfully Submitted,
Cesare de Borgia</p>

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<p>Oh sorry i was misinformed. Thank you for correcting me.</p>

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<p>how competitve is it to get those jobs? and also whats the work week look like 40 hrs? 50?</p>

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<p>try 80 hours, +</p>

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<p>Its insanely hypercompetitive (read: top 20 LS or top 5% of regional law school class) and associates work minimum 60-80 hours a week before they hit partner. Kiss starting a family off after college goodbye.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
whats the work week look like 40 hrs? 50?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That's funny. </p>

<p>Look, the fact of the matter is, there are very few professions where you can work 'normal' hours and still make a lot of money. Maybe being a professional athlete and a few other gigs, and that's about it. Law is certainly not one of them. If you want to make a lot of money in law, just like if you want to make a lot of money in almost any other profession, you are going to have to put it massive hours.</p>

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<p>Amen to that, Sakky.</p>

<p>That underscores the importance of choosing work that you like doing.</p>

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<p>:) lol to the workweek question.</p>

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<p>concerneddad: "try 80 hours, +"</p>

<p>Very true. Especially for the hyper-competitive jobs (e.g. partner at Cravath), I have heard of lawyers who put in ~100 hours/week. It's insane. ;)</p>

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<p>yeah.....that's why being a government lawyer or a law prof seems more attractive to me. I'll make about half what i could be..but i'd rather work 30 hours a week for 60-70K than 80-100 hours (from what i've read, that's a more accurate estimate) at 150K +. I can live off of 70K comfortably, and i'd rather use that extra 50 hours a week to enjoy my life.</p>

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<p>That's just a bunch of Communist propoganda. Just kidding, I totally agree with you. Why make six figures when you don't have enough time to enjoy life.</p>

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<p>"Why make six figures when you don't have enough time to enjoy life."</p>

<p>Not trying to play devil's advocate but, early retirement seems to be a pretty good reason to work hard. Furthermore, some individuals are just driven and super-competitive, let them be. Just because a single individual -l didn't want to say "you", or refer specifically to the last two posters- doesn't enjoy it, doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Much less, something to be criticized. Somebody asked a question, and there was an answer...no need to get into personal preferences. Just a thougth.</p>

<p>Anybody looking forward to the 80-100 hours per week?:D</p>

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<p>One can retire early without making 6-figures. Its not difficult. If there are two incomes in the family, then it would be all the more easier. I think if people had the choice b/t retiring 10 years earlier or having a happy marriage, happy kids, and a job that's ENJOYABLE, I think they'd go for the latter. I love the law, but I don't love it so much that i'm willing to sacrifice the rest of life just to make as much bank as possible. Not saying that's a bad thing to do; I'm just saying its not for me.</p>

<p><==================== is looking forward to 30 weeks. Hehe.</p>

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<p>Wow. If you think the road to law school tenure is easy you have another thing coming...</p>

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<p>No, I don't want to give the impression that a career as a law prof. is easy. I think that the hard work will not seem so hard since I'll enjoy it so much more, and have a better quality of life. And tenure...meh. What happens happens. I certainly don't think it will take Mon-Sat from 7am to 8am, every week. And even if it does, at least i'll be able to get some work done while in my pj's. Hehe.</p>

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<p>" I think that the hard work will not seem so hard since I'll enjoy it so much more"</p>

<p>Exactly. That's how some people may feel working 80-100 a week -granted it has to be a very unique individual :D.</p>

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<p>When you think about it, don't some of us students work 80-100 hours a week, including class time, homework/studying, extracurriculars, and jobs? I freaked out a little when I first learned the hours of a lawyer working to become a partner, but then I realized I'm already used to spending close to that much time on non-recreational activities.</p>