Lawyer Salary

Can anyone provide some information about the salary distribution (basic + front loading) of a fresh assoc in a mid-sized firm?

Is it market practice to start out with a low basic? What's the proportion like?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

What you have mentioned adds nothing new.

It would certainly be more helpful to elucidate on what other alternative paths you are referring to, the odds of pursuing these other paths having regard to, among other factors: (1) the number of applicants; (2) relevance of a law degree; (3) possibility that other degrees (e.g. economics) are valued more in the alternative path.

I am the poster @ 10:34.

Nobody can tell you the odds of anything. I can tell you the odds of landing a satisfactory position in the legal profession and remaining relevant through to the next decade or so is decreasing such that staying in law or attempting to get in is a relatively much less attractive proposition than before.

If you want me to tell you which are the sectors that a law degree stand you in better stead than elsewhere, I can't. You need to apply and test the waters yourself so that you will have a good idea of your own value in the job market. Your resume, CV and qualifications are after all unique to you.

Family law is very niche. Would be difficult to get out of this area of law in future, more so given that there's an oversupply of freshly minted lawyers.

Salary depends on the particular firm you are working for. Generally around 15-30% lower than big 4s.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

TC for family law dept in mid sized firm.

a) Is it too much of a risk to take since it may be difficult to apply to other areas of practice?

b) Any ideas on the salary range for those practising family law?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am the poster @ 10:34.

Nobody can tell you the odds of anything. I can tell you the odds of landing a satisfactory position in the legal profession and remaining relevant through to the next decade or so is decreasing such that staying in law or attempting to get in is a relatively much less attractive proposition than before.

If you want me to tell you which are the sectors that a law degree stand you in better stead than elsewhere, I can't. You need to apply and test the waters yourself so that you will have a good idea of your own value in the job market. Your resume, CV and qualifications are after all unique to you.

This is a completely uselesss post

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This is a completely uselesss post

Then go do something non-useless like putting out your resume and yourself out in the job market.

Last I checked, I'm not the one looking for a job. I have done both - worked as an LA and transited out into better paying, better quality of life field. The jobs are all out there if you would stop expecting to be spoonfed like how you took seniors' notes into the exam halls back in law school.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This is a completely uselesss post

Unfortunately OP doesnt seem to get it.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Family law is very niche. Would be difficult to get out of this area of law in future, more so given that there's an oversupply of freshly minted lawyers.

Salary depends on the particular firm you are working for. Generally around 15-30% lower than big 4s.

This info is broadly correct. In general, the domestic legal market in Singapore is dying. Family law doesn't pay, and if you are a mercenary whose primary concern is money, you should not venture there.

The safest way for a young lawyer to build a promising career is to join a banking/corporate/commercial/cap markets department, go global and serve the international markets. I would try to join a Big4 and jump into an international firm after a couple of years. Or join a mid-tier, scale up to Big4, then go up to international.

So how is the conversion at the big 4 this year?

Hi everyone, am asking a sincere question so hopefully I'll get some sincere replies! Can I ask if getting a law degree from LSE will enable me to enter the international firms more easily, and more importantly since an education at LSE is significantly more expensive, can I know if the benefits reaped from going there can justify the costs? Have gotten places at both NUS and LSE, but am really very undecided about which option to go for. Thanks in advance!

To be clear, my opinions may be biased cause I graduated from UK. That said, you still have at least 5 years from now until you are qualified. Things can change a lot in 5 years.

I won't say it would be easier to get into an intl firm with a UK degree as compared to NUS degree - both are equally recognised. I have friends who graduated from both local and UK unis getting into foreign firms, although more of my UK friends landed jobs in intl firms.

If I were in your shoes, I would choose LSE if you are able to afford it. Living in another country broadens your horizons, and strengthens you as a person. We study less subjects in UK, typically 4 modules per year (whereas NUS teaches i think around 8 - 10 subjects a year? - I am not sure), and we probably need to read up on other aspects of law (e.g. insolvency law, intellectual property law etc) if we did not choose these subjects for the final year. But you also get to have lots of fun, travel extensively and you get to put yourself out of your comfort zone.

I can say the 3 years in London changed me as a person, in a positive way. I learnt to be less competitive and that you don't need to step over another person to climb your way up I don't know if it's because of my UK degree that landed me the job, or the person I am now due to those 3 years in UK.

If you are able to graduate with a first class from LSE, you may be able to land a training contract in one of the MC firms in London itself So that opens another alternative for you.

Just enjoy the journey. Many further hurdles to overcome (e.g. getting a training contract, passing the bar exams, being retained etc). Work will solve itself out eventually and getting into an intl firm isn't and shouldn't the end game (imho). Good luck!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi everyone, am asking a sincere question so hopefully I'll get some sincere replies! Can I ask if getting a law degree from LSE will enable me to enter the international firms more easily, and more importantly since an education at LSE is significantly more expensive, can I know if the benefits reaped from going there can justify the costs? Have gotten places at both NUS and LSE, but am really very undecided about which option to go for. Thanks in advance!