Lawyer Salary

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Won’t recommend anyone to do Law, from my personal experience.

Class of 2004 NUS Law, 2nd lower. Worked at KhattarWong briefly, before falling it quits. Decided to take a gap year off, and applied to medical school in Sydney subsequently. Completed my medical school and psychiatry training in Australia. Currently earning $20000 a month base/ $25000 with clinical training allowance, as a consultant doctor at IMH.

My peers who got 2nd lower from the batch of 2004 are either partners at a small/mid firm or general counsels in SMEs by now. However, they are earning around the same as me, with shaky employment prospects. One lost his job recently and has been finding for another one for the past 6 months. Their salaries are likely to remain stagnant at the 20K mark.

Whereas, I already have a job offer as an anchor psychiatrist doctor in a reputable psychiatry private practice, for $30000 a month. Will likely take it up after I complete my 3 year tenure at IMH.

I know many senior psychiatry clinicians in private practice making $30000 a month, working 4 days a week. Someone even made over $60000 a month because he was hardworking (clinic operating for 6 days).

My point is don’t do Law, unless you are super confident that you are in the top minority making equity partner money.. which most (95% of the cohort are not).

Kind Regards.

DR VENGADESH S/O KRISHNA KUMAR, MBBS (U of Sydney, Australia) 2010
FRANZCP (Psych) (RANZCP, Australia) 2020

Did Dr Vengadesh steal your girlfriend?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

he didn't directly tell us he was a white horse. It was more of a "oh my family's company listed on the SGX uses law firm Y, which is why I am interning here" and "oh I also did intern at supposedly-international firm X which my family's banker has a relationship with and X offered me a TC but I chose law firm Y because I like it better here" sort of rhetoric in his attempt at grandstanding to the other interns.

Maybe he is just an anomaly and not the real white horse/unicorn interns you encounter at the Big 4/MC firms.

Lol after hearing you say this, it’s perhaps of a stretch to call him a white horse…

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Yes, it does. Firms commonly still look at your grades for junior to mid level associate hires because you still don't have much of a track record. The more senior you get (6+ years), the more important your experience becomes, but having top grades will always give you an edge.

Is NUS 2nd upper + a book prize / SMU Magna + a book prize considered a strong CV? Seen many on LinkedIn, so I was wondering whether they were getting approached by recruiters

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Is NUS 2nd upper + a book prize / SMU Magna + a book prize considered a strong CV? Seen many on LinkedIn, so I was wondering whether they were getting approached by recruiters

Yeah sure, grades might be relevant if deciding between two equal candidates

But I'd wager that the practice area and sector-experience of a candidate, taken together with the reputation of his superiors/partners, and most importantly his/her contribution to the team and the ability to run (and even lead, depending on seniority) a deal/a case/project is far more important than fkin grades and book prizes.

Unless you're in litigation lol. Then again, I'd say that the reputation you gain based on the name you make for yourself as so and so's right hand man in the courtroom or boardroom- is what gets you through to better firms.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Is NUS 2nd upper + a book prize / SMU Magna + a book prize considered a strong CV? Seen many on LinkedIn, so I was wondering whether they were getting approached by recruiters

There are too many to count. Class of honours is more important.

Smu book prizes also have less value because most awards have 3 joint winners every year and it’s a smaller cohort

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Why does the discussion of not doing law keep coming up? Ok we get ure v successful now. But wouldn't most people visiting this page be law students/lawyers and wanna know more about the law industry. And the discussion keeps getting butchered by irrelevant discussions like med vs law etc. A bit ridiculous to ask us to throw away our law degree and pursue a new career or completely new degree

Obviously a troll. But this guy if he is real, was a second lower from NUS according to his LI profile. How dim do you have to be to get a second lower in your LLB course way back in 2004, when they let anyone with half a brain into NUS law?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

do law firms ever rescind their tc offer?

Yes, they have done so before. Small ones typically.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Did quite badly in SMU, around 3.1/4.0. Only got TC offers from mid-size firms such as BR Law. Should I take it and jump to a better firm after my TC? Is it even possible with my grades? Feeling quite demoralised

I have seen many who were able to. I am one of those.

Work hard and develop your skills and niche. I managed to jump to an international firm, without even going to any big-four or higher-end mid-sized local firm.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

How-To-Guide: Triggering a Baker associate’s inferiority complex

Baker sounds good until you know them intimately, whether as employee or client. They are typically super unimpressive jack of all traits.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

To be honest, both are truly second rate compared to the real internationals. You go to London and say you from Bird2 or SH they look at you with scorn. Maybe join if you want stepping stone (or pebble).

I know that you are just talking trash. SH is extremely well-regarded in some areas like asset finance. Tier 1 in case you still look at tiers (which does not mean anything to those who know).