Lawyer Salary

Originally Posted by Unregistered

why u so shortsighted

in 5 months time once u qualify, assuming u get retained, your salary will be 4 times your present

eat at golden shoe and save money la. dun need to eat at atas restaurant everyday for lunch. i know a certain social studies textbook will define you as low class, but what to do

During the 6 months TC, a trainee at CC would have earned $30k more ($5k more x 6 months) than me. That is quite a substantial amount lost.

After I qualify, my salary is not 8k. It is 7.5k. But life will continue to be shagged. Also no guarantee of retention. Some departments in my firm like tax are like hunger games right now, they can only retain about 2 out of 4 trainees and one of them has crazy connections within the firm (guaranteed retention). So the other 3 trainees are basically fighting for one spot.

Sorry for ranting. Just want to get this off my chest. I'm a lowly paid minion right now.

$7.5K is a LOT of money. You should work longer hours by right.

I am only paid $1.5k for tc now. I pay for my own bar course.
I know when I retained my salary only $3k.
I get to go home at 6 plus.
I wished I could earn your salary $7500.

How can I apply for $7,500-$8,000 firm?

I have no connections no looks just a plain jane.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I think CC does a hybrid system whereby you do a 6 month Singapore TC with Cavenagh which is their Singapore tie-up, followed by a 1.5 months UK law training with CC itself in order to be dual-qualified in English and Singapore law.

However, after the two years, you will join either CC or Cavenagh (if you get retained, again there are no statistics for this) - so there is some uncertainty here whether the pay is different if you join their Singapore law practice as opposed to their UK law practice. You will probably have to ask people who were actually on the programme and have already qualified.

Any idea how I can join CC as a Singapore 0pqe then continue their training programme in various global offices? It sounds real exciting.

I am training in a big 4 but salary is too little only 2k for training and starting is only $5k. I work till 12 Mn daily. FML.

I am asking because my dept is not retaining everybody and only 2/8 will be retained.
And since I am going to work so long hour might as well get paid more as a “$7k trainee” than being a “$5k associate “

Speaking of retention, where can i find statistics on this?

UK publishes this yearly as part of transparency.

What about singapore? i cannot find any on lawsoc website.
All i could do is to rely on hearsay and rumors.

And no updates about tc reform that was mentioned 2 years ago?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Any idea how I can join CC as a Singapore 0pqe then continue their training programme in various global offices? It sounds real exciting.

I am training in a big 4 but salary is too little only 2k for training and starting is only $5k. I work till 12 Mn daily. FML.

I am asking because my dept is not retaining everybody and only 2/8 will be retained.
And since I am going to work so long hour might as well get paid more as a “$7k trainee” than being a “$5k associate “

It will probably be difficult to join as a NQ, they probably only actively hire experienced Singapore lawyers from the big 4 frequently (e.g. 2PQE and above). It will probably be a better idea for you to stick around for a few more years in your big 4 firm if possible so as to make yourself more marketable (an NQ has zero value in terms of experience and knowledge)

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Speaking of retention, where can i find statistics on this?

UK publishes this yearly as part of transparency.

What about singapore? i cannot find any on lawsoc website.
All i could do is to rely on hearsay and rumors.

And no updates about tc reform that was mentioned 2 years ago?

Sadly the legal sector is not as sophisticated in Singapore as it is in the UK - i.e. there are no transparency requirements and law firms in Singapore are not as pressurised to release statistics related to retention, diversity, gender pay gap etc. - the only way to find out is to ask around if you have many friends in the sector.

FML too. 3 am soon and I’m leaving office.
Training in a big 4 sux.
5 hour later have to be back in office.

Now tell me who in singapore other than us exploited ones get paid $2000 a month for such
a ridiculous working hours yet no trade union to help us.

I’m pretty certain I am quitting after training. Even a $5k salary still puts me in one of the worst hourly rate worker in Singapore.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

FML too. 3 am soon and I’m leaving office.
Training in a big 4 sux.
5 hour later have to be back in office.

Now tell me who in singapore other than us exploited ones get paid $2000 a month for such
a ridiculous working hours yet no trade union to help us.

I’m pretty certain I am quitting after training. Even a $5k salary still puts me in one of the worst hourly rate worker in Singapore.

Quit then do what? As in what’s next?

come on trainees, you should have known this from the start. Dont tell me during your undergrad time, internship or etc, you are not exposed to all this crap.

You have chosen to be in this industry either for the money or justice.

End of the day, just choose what you really want and what really suit you the most. Take responsible for the decision and move on. Otherwise leave the industry either after called or what.

There are tons of other things you can do even if you are not in law firm. I left after tc and a happy person now as an in house.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

During the 6 months TC, a trainee at CC would have earned $30k more ($5k more x 6 months) than me. That is quite a substantial amount lost.

After I qualify, my salary is not 8k. It is 7.5k. But life will continue to be shagged. Also no guarantee of retention. Some departments in my firm like tax are like hunger games right now, they can only retain about 2 out of 4 trainees and one of them has crazy connections within the firm (guaranteed retention). So the other 3 trainees are basically fighting for one spot.

Sorry for ranting. Just want to get this off my chest. I'm a lowly paid minion right now.

Then how about that trainee who has so many distinctions for Singapore bar in one of the department getting the most work?
U worried. I also equally worried.
Once don’t get retained by this particular firm, salary immediately drop from 7k+ to 5k+. Extra $2k can either buy Michael kors or Miu Miu.