<p>I was wondering if anyone knows how much lawyers who open up their own practice make in salary? I'm talking about the ones who open up a small shop and do stuff like divorces, wills, immigration, etc. (the ones whose clients are the people in the general community) let's assume this is in a large urban setting like new york. I have heard different stories, with some sole practioners making as much as senior associates in biglaw?</p>
<p>I think that the amount one would make as a solo practitioner would vary enormously, depending upon a number of factors, including the skill of that attorney, the ability of that attorney to generate business through professional and personal contacts, the area in which that attorney specializes, the number of hours that attorney is willing to work (and, thus, the number of clients that attorney is willing to take on), the percentage of clients who pay their bills and whether they pay their bills on time, the geographic region where that attorney practices (and the "going rate" for that area), the costs of that attorney's overhead, like rent, gas and electric, phone, etc., and a whole host of other factors. I think that it is less certain that a solo practitioner will make a lot money (as compared to a senior associate at a law firm) but the upside can not easily be quantified either.</p>