Paralegal Secretary

[BOnus]

There is a thread on lawyers salary. What about paralegals? Can anyone share their salary package?

Originally Posted by BOnus

There is a thread on lawyers salary. What about paralegals? Can anyone share their salary package?

It depends on what you bring to the table.

As someone looking to join the industry without any knowledge or experience, the truth is that you will not earn much. Consider that a fresh grad trainee lawyer gets an allowance (not pay) of between 1k - 2.5k depending on which firm they join.

As a fresh entrant without industry knowledge or experience - you would be looking at 1.5-2k per month.

If you are a litigation seccy, once you conquer e-litigation, icms, drafting of simple letters, billing and accounting for files, calculation of disbursements, ect, ect.... you can move up to 4-5k pretty quickly (i'd say after 2-3 years). If you work for a stingy firm and they don't want to pay you decently after 2-3 years, you're probably good enough to take your skills elsewhere at that point in time.

Conveyancing seccys can also earn quite a bit. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find a place willing to teach. If you do, you should take it first. Once you gain a couple of years experience, you can easily command more than 5k.

Please note that these are pre-covid numbers.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

It depends on what you bring to the table.

As someone looking to join the industry without any knowledge or experience, the truth is that you will not earn much. Consider that a fresh grad trainee lawyer gets an allowance (not pay) of between 1k - 2.5k depending on which firm they join.

As a fresh entrant without industry knowledge or experience - you would be looking at 1.5-2k per month.

If you are a litigation seccy, once you conquer e-litigation, icms, drafting of simple letters, billing and accounting for files, calculation of disbursements, ect, ect.... you can move up to 4-5k pretty quickly (i'd say after 2-3 years). If you work for a stingy firm and they don't want to pay you decently after 2-3 years, you're probably good enough to take your skills elsewhere at that point in time.

Conveyancing seccys can also earn quite a bit. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find a place willing to teach. If you do, you should take it first. Once you gain a couple of years experience, you can easily command more than 5k.

Please note that these are pre-covid numbers.

Yep, but you must note that the general paralegal's salary will never go much above the average 1st year PQE (6k-ish). If you are really good and stay really long, you're still looking at a 6-7k cap.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Yep, but you must note that the general paralegal's salary will never go much above the average 1st year PQE (6k-ish). If you are really good and stay really long, you're still looking at a 6-7k cap.

Yes. This is mostly true.

What is the pay range for paralegal roles with a private UCL/KCL LLB? Thanks.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

What is the pay range for paralegal roles with a private UCL/KCL LLB? Thanks.

Not sure what you mean? Would you mean one of those degrees but with 3rd class honors?

Not sure why you would work as a paralegal if you went to UCL/KCL LLB. Most 2nd upper grads there are in magic/silver circles firms.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Not sure what you mean? Would you mean one of those degrees but with 3rd class honors?

Not sure why you would work as a paralegal if you went to UCL/KCL LLB. Most 2nd upper grads there are in magic/silver circles firms.

I am a paralegal (went up from liti seccie) for the past 15 yrs (same boss, small firm) and my pay is stuck at 4k. No bonuses no benefits. I can do almost everything except for Shipping/Admiralty. Shd I jump ship to another law firm or go govt? Just afraid that it's too late to move away now considering my age now (40).

[DiBrain]

If I were you, I wouldn't rely on what people say on forums about their wages. First of all, you never know when they are telling the truth. Second of all, it depends on the company they are working for and on the number of working hours. Better try to find the average wage for a specific profession in a specific town or city. Here is an example of how pharmacy technicians are being paid: https://www.vocationaltraininghq.com...cy-technician/ Hope that this will help! Best of luck at your job!

Thanks for your reply. Been sending out CVs (to govt sectors) but so far still no luck haha.

Originally Posted by DiBrain

If I were you, I wouldn't rely on what people say on forums about their wages. First of all, you never know when they are telling the truth. Second of all, it depends on the company they are working for and on the number of working hours. Better try to find the average wage for a specific profession in a specific town or city. Here is an example of how pharmacy technicians are being paid: [s://.vocationaltraininghq.com/how-to-become/pharmacy-technician/[/ Hope that this will help! Best of luck at your job!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am a paralegal (went up from liti seccie) for the past 15 yrs (same boss, small firm) and my pay is stuck at 4k. No bonuses no benefits. I can do almost everything except for Shipping/Admiralty. Shd I jump ship to another law firm or go govt? Just afraid that it's too late to move away now considering my age now (40).

I work for a small firm.

It is difficult to justify paying seccys more if the work isn't high level. I file all my own papers in e-lit, icms and ifams. I do my own filing. I keep my own calendar. I write my own letters and draft all my own legal docs. My seccy comes to work at 10 and leaves at 5. We keep her on to jaga the office when we're in Court, billing, answering phone calls, checking our mail box and what not. She doesn't do conveyancing.

We keep her on because she is a legacy staff who has worked for our firm for many years.

We do not keep her because we need her.

The fact is, if you work for a small firm, the kind of work that you do is low-value work....

You should try applying for jobs in the open market. That will be a real test of the value of your work. Afterall, no one can hold it against you if you wish to pursue better and more fulfilling opportunities elsewhere. I encourage you to do so. And after doing so, if your aren't getting offers at all or if you aren't getting the kind of salary you want, then it is time for a little self-reflection.