Lawyer Salary

Originally Posted by Unregistered

thank you for the reply! that's interesting because a couple of places took longer than a week to get back to me, but they did have valid reasons/perhaps I was not their first choice either.

i will definitely try not to decline a TC after accepting it, i realise it's not a nice thing to do.

I accepted a TC at a big firm, they wanted answer within a week and I was only in my third year of uni and and desperate to take any offer, even if it was in a department I wasn't interested in. 2 years later, I took another offer that I was more interested in, nothing happened, its more common than you think.

NQ at Big4 here. Is it true that there is an end year bonus, but that it's only paid out if you stick around till March the following year? What happens if you tender in say January?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

thank you for taking the time to write a detailed reply!

Please take with a pinch of salt.

While I do believe OP (i've met seniors like that too in the past), this is not a general description of all liti lawyers as a whole. I've since found a firm where my seniors are pretty decent people and my hours are good. This also means accepting that you'll never be a millionaire, but in life you can't have your cake and eat it too.

My boss is pretty humane and always asks if i have capacity to take on a case - and saying no capacity does not impact my pay/progression/ect. I don't OT on most days. When i do (during big trials about 3 times a year), i can generally take time off thereafter.

The anxiety is something you have to manage in life. I worked in-house full time while doing my masters (2 years) and trust me when i say that the anxiety doesn't go away. When i was in-house, i had to handle a lot of shitty politics and truly incompetent bosses. I reported to a general counsel who was neither called nor spent any time working for a law firm. His background was in project management. But you know, connections get you places in the world. Keeping the bosses happy whilst protecting the interest of the company is not as easy as it looks. The anxiety doesn't go away.

I was told this once: how much you are paid is proportional to your ability to handle stress.

This is very true. Don't expect that moving in-house would automatically mean a less stressed existence.

To the OP. I was from a small firm liti department and went in-house directly (with a major pay bump). It is possible. Try applying and sending your CV to legal recruiters (a dime a dozen on linkedin). They are always on the prowl for applicants.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Please take with a pinch of salt.

While I do believe OP (i've met seniors like that too in the past), this is not a general description of all liti lawyers as a whole. I've since found a firm where my seniors are pretty decent people and my hours are good. This also means accepting that you'll never be a millionaire, but in life you can't have your cake and eat it too.

My boss is pretty humane and always asks if i have capacity to take on a case - and saying no capacity does not impact my pay/progression/ect. I don't OT on most days. When i do (during big trials about 3 times a year), i can generally take time off thereafter.

The anxiety is something you have to manage in life. I worked in-house full time while doing my masters (2 years) and trust me when i say that the anxiety doesn't go away. When i was in-house, i had to handle a lot of shitty politics and truly incompetent bosses. I reported to a general counsel who was neither called nor spent any time working for a law firm. His background was in project management. But you know, connections get you places in the world. Keeping the bosses happy whilst protecting the interest of the company is not as easy as it looks. The anxiety doesn't go away.

I was told this once: how much you are paid is proportional to your ability to handle stress.

This is very true. Don't expect that moving in-house would automatically mean a less stressed existence.

To the OP. I was from a small firm liti department and went in-house directly (with a major pay bump). It is possible. Try applying and sending your CV to legal recruiters (a dime a dozen on linkedin). They are always on the prowl for applicants.

(OP here) yeah i figured that not all places will suck, i guess either you get lucky or you keep looking for better opportunities. i'm looking at small firms too and would probably face a similar career trajectory so your input is reassuring. belated congratulations on the master's degree and thanks for the tips

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I was told this once: how much you are paid is proportional to your ability to handle stress.

Never heard it put like that before, but makes sense. Don't know why people here wonder why they can't draw 5.5k NQ starting pay AND also work 9-6 Mon-Fri only. You start your own firm next time (if you're not some humji 8 PQE senior assoc) and you do just that. Pls.

If you don't you better come back here and explain why you pay only 3k and still whatsapp on sunday and PHs. Idiots

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi sorry bump

Big 4 is safest for retention rates. If you have seniors in b4 ask them they will confirm it.

The worst retention rates are small, followed by international/mid

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Which Big 4 liti has the worst working culture?

Everywhere, don't bother asking.

This is the same as fishing for someone to sell out an employer

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Big 4 is safest for retention rates. If you have seniors in b4 ask them they will confirm it.

The worst retention rates are small, followed by international/mid

Your chances of retention automatically go up when you're hardworking and good at what you do.

#justsaying

useless advice for useless questions

all these newbies looking for a TEN THINGS YOU MUST DO TO KEEP YOUR JOB - EMPLOYERS HATE HIM! cos they dont like the unstructured nature of the working world compared to sch

stop sh*tting up this place with your anxiety and take your meds and fk off ffs

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Big 4 is safest for retention rates. If you have seniors in b4 ask them they will confirm it.

The worst retention rates are small, followed by international/mid

Based on anecdotes from my friends, it seems retention for this year went like this:

(1) B4/Internationals relatively unchanged from previous years, but with some salary adjustments (allegedly temporarily).

(2) Small firms outside of fam/crim law basically 0% retention.

(3) Mid-sized really depends. Generally bad except for the boutiques, but it was a bloodbath at one notable boutique.