How much do Attorneys at Law make every year?

Nash D

As you learn more about the law, you will realize that every answer "depends." Depends on the jurisdiction, depends on where you went to school, depends on your rank at school, depends on what extra activities you engaged in at school (i.e. moot court, law review, etc.), depends on your outside experience, depends on who you know, etc.

If your image of a lawyer is wealth, your wrong. most lawyers spend 80 hours a week+ in offices and walk away with $65 grand a year, not much. If you attend a top-notch school, finish in the top 15% of your class, are a member of moot court and law review, then you can expect to make $130K a year, working 80 hours a week for a large firm.

If you want to go solo, good luck. They work 2x harder. One of the hardest obstacles is setting up your own practice. It costs a lot of money in overhead and retaining new clients is extremely difficult, especially given the competitiveness of law.

You need to specialize, and that takes many years of hard work and experience. A lot of people go to law school expecting a huge paycheck when they get out. Truth is, I was making more money as a waiter before I went to law school, working 1/4 of the time, as I am now as a first year graduate. A nice paycheck can be obtained, but you need to be the best of the best, so-to-speak (Ivy league, top 10%).

Most importantly, don't go into law if all you want to do is to make money. you will be very disappointed and you will hate the work. most people go to law school expecting to make money. When they get out, they either don't make money and hate the work, or they make a liitle money and hate the work. 9 out of 10 lawyers discontiue practicing law within 10 years--something to consider. Harsh reality, but very much the truth.

Adult American

Depends upon the type of law you practice, the size of the firm and most importantly the caliber of your clients.

You can either be stinking rich, obscenely rich or barely surviving on only a few hundred thousand a year in most areas.

For instance at the bottom of the barrel but top of the potential wage scale... how fast can you run down an ambulance?

lisa s

It depends on several factors and even the lawyer himself (or herself)

Some lawyers practice solo and keep all the dough others work for firms
Some practice criminal, civil or other types of law

evilattorney

Many are unemployed and make nothing - there are too many lawyers, especially from Tier III and below schools. At a large firm, a first year associate can make over $125,000. Most new lawyers make far, far less if they are able to get a job at all.

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