I'm curious which area of law brings homes the highest salary. Also will a large law firm pay more than a smaller one?
2007-12-31 05:39:55 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment ➔ Law & Legal
Also, will my average-looks keep me from corporate law? I dress very well, but I'm not the most beautiful of girls--I'm thin, though.
2007-12-31 05:45:46 · update #1
(1) your looks will not keep you out of corporate law
(2) the most important thing for getting into corporate law is (a) the law school you attend and (b) how well you do in law school.
(3) if you're interested in corporate law, I'm guessing you’re interested in "big law". So am I.
As far as big law, the salary is the same for all associates. Doesn't matter if you’re in corporate, litigation, etc. However, bonuses, etc. may vary. But even then, (depending on your firm) bonuses will depend on how many nights and weekends you spend in the office. Not necessarily your practice area.
Now, once you make partner, the best place to be is new your. the pay range for partners there is the best (several million a year). Until you make partner, your base salary is based on how many years you've worked there and bonus is, as I said, based on how many extra nights and weekends you work (and quality of your work too, of course).
regarding making partner, it takes 6 to 10+ years to make partner. unfortunately, very few associates make partner. Some say not to go in expecting to make partner. that's probably a good plan. You should always have an "exit option" if you're going into big law. Exit option = plan B
If you go into corporate law, exit options could include starting your own business, going "in-house" as general council or staff attorney for a company, etc.
This is very general but once you start looking at firms you’ll realize that they are very similar but very different. Similar because they have very similar work, pay the same, etc etc. But different because they have different cultures, silly rules, years to partnership, etc.
2007-12-31 09:17:04 · answer #1 · answered by TheOtherGuy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Personal injury law can give the highest rate of pay for the least amount of work time, because personal injury cases are usually done on a percentage basis. If you get the mother-lode personal injury case and win or settle in your client's favor, you could earn millions in attorney fees (often 33% of the total amount awarded).
Some lawyers specialize in catastrophic mass injury cases (like train and airplane wrecks, apartment and high-rise fires). There are relative few such lawyers in the world. They do not get many cases compared to criminal lawyers, but those specialized lawyers make bundles of money.
2007-12-31 07:05:19 · answer #2 · answered by LUCKY 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mergers and aquistions & VC law. Mergers and Aquisitions can go into the hundreds even billions of dollars. M & A lawyers get tons of money for seeing these deals through. Easily a few million per M or A.
Venture Capital lawyer is like a M & A lawyer on a smaller scale
2007-12-31 07:02:39 · answer #3 · answered by doug02346 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's difficult to say, different kinds of cases will bring in different money. Civil law probably does very well.
All the best to you in the new year.
2007-12-31 06:15:11 · answer #4 · answered by myacumen.com 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well... seeing as the majority of the population is getting divorced now a days, I would say divorce lawyers
2007-12-31 06:04:00 · answer #5 · answered by Cristina C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually unless you can get into a high profile law firm and become a partner, the most money seems to be becoming a personal injury lawyer who automatically takes at least 25% of what the person settles instead of a retainer and costs.
You start out as the bottom, even as a law clerk. You do a good job and make your employers recognize you as a valuable and necessary commodity. Though looks have a great deal to do with success, it is winning cases and becoming the partner that makes those big bucks you seem to prioritize.
Terrible to think you are going into the practice with the priority of money over the priority of being a good lawyer and helping people. Attitudes like that may be why people don't like lawyers.
2007-12-31 05:50:07 · answer #6 · answered by banananose_89117 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is that a life form lower than Paparazzi ??
2007-12-31 05:45:06 · answer #7 · answered by jimgdad 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is why people hate lawyers! Do something because you love it, not because you can soak someone for the most money.
2007-12-31 05:45:04 · answer #8 · answered by Duff Man 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Company law or intellectual property law are big payers. Family and civil are ok. Crime pays the worst by a mile.
Big firms pay better but generally treat you worse and expect more from you.
2007-12-31 05:45:01 · answer #9 · answered by Harry O 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
civil you can win a civil suit worth millions thats a big salary a runner up i say criminal some people will pay anything to get away with murder ask Blake or O.J
2007-12-31 05:44:35 · answer #10 · answered by dyrocks26 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋