Lawyer Salary

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Wah you got first class and in small firm? Either the firm is not that small or competition is really stiff.

Anyway, 4.5-5 is not THAT below market average. Thought you were talking abt 2-3k hahaha.

As others have suggested, why not put your “free” time to good use such as sending out applications? But make sure really no work so that you’re not shirking duties la haha.

To OP.

I've been a small firm lawyer all my life so i can understand a little bit of what you are feeling.

My advice is this: do something, anything and everything. Go and give lectures, sign up to be a panel solicitor with LAB, or a CLAS lawyer if you are into crim. Volunteer at free legal advice clinics, esp. those with MPSs. If you come from the kind of family where this is possible, leverage your connections. If you are brave enough, social media marketing.

Essentially, become your own rainmaker.

Once you have your own book, you will realize that life as a small firm lawyer becomes much easier.

Also: Continuously upskill. Make sure you are in the know of all recent updates in your specialisation area. Make sure you can have in-depth conversation with your peers in the same specialisation area. Make sure when people come to you for "friendly conversation" you are able to impress upon them that you are an expert in this area. Go for lectures. Go take the neccesary courses to be an SMC accredited mediator. Aim for accreditation (if applicable).

One of the upsides of being a small firm lawyer is that your fate is quite literally in your own hands.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

My advice is this: do something, anything and everything.

Continuously upskill. Make sure you are in the know of all recent updates in your specialisation area. Make sure you can have in-depth conversation with your peers in the same specialisation area. Make sure when people come to you for "friendly conversation" you are able to impress upon them that you are an expert in this area. Go for lectures. … Aim for accreditation (if applicable).

Not OP but this is v inspiring n applicable to many… thanks learned frens

Originally Posted by Unregistered

To OP.

I've been a small firm lawyer all my life so i can understand a little bit of what you are feeling.

My advice is this: do something, anything and everything. Go and give lectures, sign up to be a panel solicitor with LAB, or a CLAS lawyer if you are into crim. Volunteer at free legal advice clinics, esp. those with MPSs. If you come from the kind of family where this is possible, leverage your connections. If you are brave enough, social media marketing.

Essentially, become your own rainmaker.

Once you have your own book, you will realize that life as a small firm lawyer becomes much easier.

Also: Continuously upskill. Make sure you are in the know of all recent updates in your specialisation area. Make sure you can have in-depth conversation with your peers in the same specialisation area. Make sure when people come to you for "friendly conversation" you are able to impress upon them that you are an expert in this area. Go for lectures. Go take the neccesary courses to be an SMC accredited mediator. Aim for accreditation (if applicable).

One of the upsides of being a small firm lawyer is that your fate is quite literally in your own hands.

Agree with this.

To add on two points: -

1. Do what you like, whether it is criminal, family, construction, maritime, corporate, etc. Don't do corporate because of the money. Legal practice is very vigorous (think long hours of work with at best 4-5 hours of sleep everyday) and you will be burned out fast if you don't have the interest. This is one of the reasons why many young lawyers are quitting. They follow corporate because of the money but realize that they have zero interest in it and eventually, the fatigue sets in.

2. Client management is very essential. Singaporeans are too nice. Learn to cut off rubbish clients or give them the "cold treatment" especially for those who are slow (or worse, act blur) in paying your legal fees. These clients aren't worth your time and the money you can get from them is minimal. There are many of this kind around shopping around and trying to extract free legal advice without paying.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Agree with this.

To add on two points: -

1. Do what you like, whether it is criminal, family, construction, maritime, corporate, etc. Don't do corporate because of the money. Legal practice is very vigorous (think long hours of work with at best 4-5 hours of sleep everyday) and you will be burned out fast if you don't have the interest. This is one of the reasons why many young lawyers are quitting. They follow corporate because of the money but realize that they have zero interest in it and eventually, the fatigue sets in.

2. Client management is very essential. Singaporeans are too nice. Learn to cut off rubbish clients or give them the "cold treatment" especially for those who are slow (or worse, act blur) in paying your legal fees. These clients aren't worth your time and the money you can get from them is minimal. There are many of this kind around shopping around and trying to extract free legal advice without paying.

It took me such a long time to understand these 2 points.
I regret a lot of my earlier years in practice.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

It took me such a long time to understand these 2 points.
I regret a lot of my earlier years in practice.

Don't beat yourself over it, it is normal for many Singaporeans. We are all conditioned to follow a certain route set by our parents and we are afraid to speak up and show our displeasure.

I wager many practitioners below 5PQE are still struggling with these 2 points. You have to be gung-ho to handle rubbish clients but many Singaporeans are trained from young not to say anything unless told to.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

2. Client management is very essential. Singaporeans are too nice. Learn to cut off rubbish clients or give them the "cold treatment" especially for those who are slow (or worse, act blur) in paying your legal fees. These clients aren't worth your time and the money you can get from them is minimal. There are many of this kind around shopping around and trying to extract free legal advice without paying.

It may not only be about being nice or not knowing how to say no.

When it comes to the idiosyncracies and pressures of practice which only practitioners will know, sometimes the difficulty lies in deciding which point to cut them off. Same with any other manipulative person.

Not handled well, may even be gaslighted for being an unhelpful or calculative lawyer who only cares about bills.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

literal slurping?

What is slurping

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Don't beat yourself over it, it is normal for many Singaporeans. We are all conditioned to follow a certain route set by our parents and we are afraid to speak up and show our displeasure.

I wager many practitioners below 5PQE are still struggling with these 2 points. You have to be gung-ho to handle rubbish clients but many Singaporeans are trained from young not to say anything unless told to.

Senpai, coffee?

I see today’s ST going in strong with the “Big 5” narrative in its feature on the “best law firms”. And a million firms humblebragging online of course.

How did it happen lol