Lawyer Salary

female corporate lawyer (with a real estate slant), 29 years old. about S$7k per month, not including bonus.

my bosses are decent and my hours are 9am to about 8pm everyday (sometimes earlier, sometimes later). i work weekends at times.

many of my friends have quit. the stress is incredible.

if you want to be moderately well-off, lawyering should be able to provide for that. but if you want to be very rich, you should consider something else (e.g. investment banking, your own business, etc).

mid 40s, in-house lawyer - $450,000 per year. Bonus > $100K. I know of friends who have moved in-house too. Two around my salary range...

Originally Posted by Guest

mid 40s, in-house lawyer - $450,000 per year. Bonus > $100K. I know of friends who have moved in-house too. Two around my salary range...

After how many years of practice did you move in-house?

3rd yearer here: 7K per month + 29k annual bonus = 113k

Thinking of doing a switch next year to either (i) an offshore firm (better pay, brand name on resume); or (ii) in-house (better hours).

Originally Posted by Unregistered

female corporate lawyer (with a real estate slant), 29 years old. about S$7k per month, not including bonus.

my bosses are decent and my hours are 9am to about 8pm everyday (sometimes earlier, sometimes later). i work weekends at times.

many of my friends have quit. the stress is incredible.

if you want to be moderately well-off, lawyering should be able to provide for that. but if you want to be very rich, you should consider something else (e.g. investment banking, your own business, etc).

Just curious - When your friends quitted, what would they do? If they want similar level of income, would doubt their next job would be less stressful (if not more).

I heard about a guy with a US law degree doing corporate law for a foreign firm here getting about 15k his first year. Apparently his hours are quite good too and he goes home at 6-7 most days.

Does anyone know if this is just an anomaly? Either in terms of pay or hours?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I heard about a guy with a US law degree doing corporate law for a foreign firm here getting about 15k his first year. Apparently his hours are quite good too and he goes home at 6-7 most days.

Does anyone know if this is just an anomaly? Either in terms of pay or hours?

If he's from Harvard or Yale Law School, and near the top of his cohort, it's possible. But even then 15k is still extremely high for a first year associate, even if it's a large foreign firm like Baker. So yea, probably an anomaly, so simply inaccurate info.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

If he's from Harvard or Yale Law School, and near the top of his cohort, it's possible. But even then 15k is still extremely high for a first year associate, even if it's a large foreign firm like Baker. So yea, probably an anomaly, so simply inaccurate info.

Actually magic circle firms will be drawing slightly lower but not dissimilar level of pay as well.

Per below article, 1st year qualified lawyers are drawing c. 70k pounds or c. S$145k pa, approx S$12k per month.

So may not be so inaccurate.

Freshfields tops the charts of highest paying Magic Circle firms. | Legal and Recruitment News for the Asian Market

anyone knows the payscale for a APP at AGC? 35 years old, singaporean male with NS, overseas UK law degree.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Actually magic circle firms will be drawing slightly lower but not dissimilar level of pay as well.

Per below article, 1st year qualified lawyers are drawing c. 70k pounds or c. S$145k pa, approx S$12k per month.

So may not be so inaccurate.

Freshfields tops the charts of highest paying Magic Circle firms. | Legal and Recruitment News for the Asian Market

UK firms tend to pay more in UK, than they do in Singapore. Same with American firms. e.g. White & Case in USA starts at USD160k. But White & Case in Singapore starts at SGD100k. Has to do with the prevailing market rates of the local firms. Local firms in Singapore all start ard 4k - 5.5k. So naturally, the intl firms don't need to pay >8k.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

anyone knows the payscale for a APP at AGC? 35 years old, singaporean male with NS, overseas UK law degree.

Assuming you are not from any of the scheduled UK universities (otherwise you would be applying for DPP). Also assuming zero legal experience... I don't think will be more than 4.1k.