Lawyer Salary

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Anyone knows how much the pay is for the 1 year trainees?

Is it $2K for the entire 12 months?

Heard is 4K

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Heard is 4K

Source? For Big 4 I presume?

Actually this is OK-ish albeit slightly short changed with the new NQ pay rises. Assuming rough and ready computations

Before 1 year TC:
6 months x $2K trainee pay + 6 months x $6k NQ pay = $48k / 12 month = $4k per month

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Source? For Big 4 I presume?

Actually this is OK-ish albeit slightly short changed with the new NQ pay rises. Assuming rough and ready computations

Before 1 year TC:
6 months x $2K trainee pay + 6 months x $6k NQ pay = $48k / 12 month = $4k per month

4k is very low..most fresh grads are getting 5k++

what is RLT pay

Originally Posted by Unregistered

4k is very low..most fresh grads are getting 5k++

I don’t think that’s necessarily a fair comparison given that traineeship, as the name would suggest, assumes a training-esq role within the organisation. Lesser outward facing responsibility/liability, for litigators no actual advocacy, etc. Overall lesser responsibility as compared to the ‘fresh grads’.

From what I heard, it remains at 2k for the first half and will be adjusted to legal exec pay on the second half. I’ve not heard of a 4k starting as of yet.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I don’t think that’s necessarily a fair comparison given that traineeship, as the name would suggest, assumes a training-esq role within the organisation. Lesser outward facing responsibility/liability, for litigators no actual advocacy, etc. Overall lesser responsibility as compared to the ‘fresh grads’.

From what I heard, it remains at 2k for the first half and will be adjusted to legal exec pay on the second half. I’ve not heard of a 4k starting as of yet.

It is a very fair comparison. Graduate training programs for major banks and mncs start at 5-8k. Dont forget law grads have to go through an additional 6 mths of part b

there are firms that don’t pay trainees. It’s obviously more rewarding to work elsewhere outside of law TBH, whether monetarily or psychologically.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

there are firms that don’t pay trainees. It’s obviously more rewarding to work elsewhere outside of law TBH, whether monetarily or psychologically.

Some firms also ask you to pay them

Originally Posted by Unregistered

there are firms that don’t pay trainees. It’s obviously more rewarding to work elsewhere outside of law TBH, whether monetarily or psychologically.

Honestly who actually goes into law for money nowadays.

The way I see it, law is actually the province of kids whose backgrounds are relatively affluent to begin with.

Everyone knows you don't practice law to "get rich". As a matter of fact, open pursuit of money is actually frowned on in the profession. (Of course we know when it comes to billings and charging clients, the reality is a very different story behind closed doors). But generally blatant profit-seeking motives is viewed as crass in lawyering.

Rich middle class parents with managerial or professional jobs, push their kids to do law because the idea that their kids are entering a 'learned' and 'respectable' profession looks good on them. Businessowners too. They would rather their kids clock a few years in law before coming in to take over the family SME business.

Very few are under the illusion that you will get phat whack salaries as a junior lawyer, especially not in Singapore.

Strangely, its the less educated laymen who have the least to do with the legal industry, that have misconceived notion that lawyers earn big bucks the moment they graduate.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

what is RLT pay

RLT pay at my firm is 2.5k for 2023 intake. Are all the big 4s also paying 2.5k for RLT?