Lawyer Salary

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Can anyone say if its possible to bargain with law firm employer fixing honorarium at $500 (either take it or go elsewhere types). Not even considered allowance..
Any idea how to navigate this?

Bargaining wont work. There is no flexibility in this market. You just have to accept it or try something else.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Bargaining wont work. There is no flexibility in this market. You just have to accept it or try something else.

How long do you have to accept the offer? Apply to other places.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

How long do you have to accept the offer? Apply to other places.

Do some small firm lawyers who have a good/decent reputation in the market, take advantage of this(+ covid situation excuse) and set the honorarium at rates like this, becuse they know the trainee will chose them anyway?

OR could it be the other way round, that the firm/clientele sucks and firm can only afford to pay $500? (i dont think this is the case - 500 even for a crap law firm sounds too pathetic).

OR could it be honorarium depends on the quality of the incoming trainee i.e. CV quality. esp those who dont reveal honorarium amount in their RLT ad post.

Opinion please...

Originally Posted by Unregistered

How long do you have to accept the offer? Apply to other places.

Do you mean i should choose RLT based just the allowance amount?? What in your opinion is the most important factor?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Do you mean i should choose RLT based just the allowance amount?? What in your opinion is the most important factor?

Yes. Allowance is important. Are you going to live off your parents....

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Sorry, I used 1.2 as the increment, so it should be 1PQE 6.5k, 2 PQE 7.8k, 3 PQE 9.1, 4PQE 11.2k

At my big 4 firm:

3pqe = $9k
4pqe = $10.3k
5pqe = $11.3k

Consistent with posts from 2-4 years back in this thread. No change since then.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Yes. Allowance is important. Are you going to live off your parents....

Well isn’t 500 More than enough? Assuming I’m still staying at home. And No I don’t have crap spending habits

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Well isn’t 500 More than enough? Assuming I’m still staying at home. And No I don’t have crap spending habits

Unfortunate fact, but true, is that generally the "better" firms are willing to attract talent by paying the paltry $1-2k for their trainees. Big4 level tops off at around 2k.

If a firm does not even want to pay $800 (which is the bare minimum 1-2 man chinatown firm rate), I'm not sure you want to be in the firm). Not only because they are quite tight with their money, but that offer means they are not intending to retain (and probably think they are doing you a favour). Are they in fact doing you a favour (if you are from a lower tier uni plus low grades - perhaps take the offer)?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Unfortunate fact, but true, is that generally the "better" firms are willing to attract talent by paying the paltry $1-2k for their trainees. Big4 level tops off at around 2k.

If a firm does not even want to pay $800 (which is the bare minimum 1-2 man chinatown firm rate), I'm not sure you want to be in the firm). Not only because they are quite tight with their money, but that offer means they are not intending to retain (and probably think they are doing you a favour). Are they in fact doing you a favour (if you are from a lower tier uni plus low grades - perhaps take the offer)?

I work at a law firm where trainees get 1.2k. I am not a trainee.
We don't usually take trainees because there isn't room to retain. But when we do, it's usually cause we're doing peeps a favour. So i'm with this the above poster.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Lol if he tried to argue w the prof means all the exam takers witnessed it right? Iirc only 1 ILT class does closed book exams lol.

not sure how loud the argument was but those who were around him definitely saw it