How much do entry level lawyers make right out of law school, how hard is it to get a job, and how many hours?

Gizmo

My brother in law makes about $55,000 in the DC area and has about $150,000 in student loans which are gaining interest by the day. He had moderate difficulty getting a good job that would put him on a path to success. All of the young lawyers I know who have ambitions at 6 figures work at least 55 hours a week- usually a lot more. They have to work really hard to prove their worth because there are a lot of people to compete with.

The King

It really varies a lot depending on where they went to law school, their class rank and of course the law firm and its location. It could be anywhere between $30,000 and $80,000 a year.

daaaave

Depends on where you go to school, what type of employment you get (private v. public sector) and which part of the country you are living in.

stephen t

Lawyer: Unless you are in a super elite category, most law grads are not, the doors to good pay are closed. Starting pay 30K-45K, you could pick a trade like plumber or electrician, start making money faster, end up making as much as a lawyer and not rack up a lot of college debt. Requirements: 7 yrs post high school education, Ethics Exam, 2 day Bar Exam. Job competition is fierce limiting opportunities and pay, yet more law schools open every year. Example: the last job I applied for, in-house counsel, there were 100 applicants for the position, they picked 7 for a first interview, then they picked me and some other person for a second interview, then the job was eliminated abruptly by the company before anyone got hired due to cost cuts. I was like wtf, I put a lot of time into the process.

Compare to pharmacist:

Very easy to get a job in any part of the country, big shortage. Starting pay 100K right out of school. Everyone gets good pay, you don't have like 1 or 2 pharmacists making 150k and 8 pharmacists making 30K. 6 years of post high school education.

If I could use magic and go back in time to the start of college I would either be a pharmacist or a dentist.

CCC

It depends on where you are. In the US it depends on location and area and if you go into working for the govt pay can be lower or in a big firm but you must generate revenue or for yourself.

go see more info at careers at www.dol.gov see career voyages. this is for the usa only.

perfectvelvet

Not much -- even if you start out making $80k, your experienced peers will be making at least twice that. It depends on the size of the firm, the location, etc.

It's probably not that difficult to get a job overall, but don't expect to get the one you want where you want. If you want to stay in a particular area, you'll have a harder time. Likewise, if you're in a big metro area where there are a lot of others doing the same thing, it'll be harder.

Hours will vary, but expect to put in 40/week at first ... and for that to gradually increase as they realize you're not incompetent and they can dump a bunch of garbage that they don't want to do on you.

Caring girl.

Â£1500 + per year.

Juan O

not much

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