Paralegal: negotiating salary? Forum

[AreJay711]

Fuck being a paralegal. The paralegal I work with showed me how to prepare shit and file it at the courthouse. We have runners to take it over but the attoerney said it is worth learning. Like I said, fuck that noise. I'd fail soooo hard trying to do that shit for myself it isn't even funny.

[jurisx]

Fuck being a paralegal. The paralegal I work with showed me how to prepare shit and file it at the courthouse. We have runners to take it over but the attoerney said it is worth learning. Like I said, fuck that noise. I'd fail soooo hard trying to do that shit for myself it isn't even funny.

Someone gets it.

[jurisx]

what's to get over? This is a law school forum and I'm in law school, big whoopie. It's a floor not a ceiling people.

When you get a chance, go ahead and get AIDS. Thanks ahead of time.

Yes, best counter argument ever. Sorry I havn't found enough homeless MBA's to suck me off for cans yet. Check back latter.

[bjsesq]

what's to get over? This is a law school forum and I'm in law school, big whoopie. It's a floor not a ceiling people.

When you get a chance, go ahead and get AIDS. Thanks ahead of time.

Yes, best counter argument ever. Sorry I havn't found enough homeless MBA's to suck me off for cans yet. Check back latter.

Not trying to argue shit. I just think you are a fuckhead and would love for you to get AIDS. Consider it a favor.

[jurisx]

what's to get over? This is a law school forum and I'm in law school, big whoopie. It's a floor not a ceiling people.

When you get a chance, go ahead and get AIDS. Thanks ahead of time.

Yes, best counter argument ever. Sorry I havn't found enough homeless MBA's to suck me off for cans yet. Check back latter.

Not trying to argue shit. I just think you are a fuckhead and would love for you to get AIDS. Consider it a favor.

Yeah, tell your mom I'm free tonight. I'm out of cans but she can do it for your happiness. How's that sound?

[jurisx]

Anyone in this thread who is berating paralegals obviously has never been a summer associate. Paralegals saved my life on so many occasions. Honestly if I had a question I'd usually go to them before I went to a lawyer.

I'd have committed suicide four times over already without the paralegals.


<------------ Four weeks in to first SA gig.


ETA: jurisx is a douchenozzle.

Proves they serve a purpose. Not that you should be one. Not that they are equal.

kind of proves you suck though,

[jurisx]

I think experience is a big part in setting the salary.

First off, check out the local market salaries for Paralegal I/Jr. Paralegal positions on http://www.payscale.com and http://www.salary.com. Show the data to your parents if they need assurance.

I started at a mid-sized firm in a secondary market as a paralegal just over 35k right out of college. I got the job because of some background experience I had interning at law firms, but the fact was I needed training. Any recent graduate needs training, and so the entry level salary must accomodate for that. My billing rate was $120 to start, it got pushed to a higher number as time went on and that increase was also reflected in my compensation. I still earn under 40k baseline salary after working for more than three years, but with overtime I stretch well above that amount (I bill close to 2100 annually). I will be attending law school part-time this fall and I am looking for government paralegal positions. Those opportunities pay around 45-50k and seek more experienced candidates (3+ years at a minimum).

Perhaps you can explain to your parents that you would get paid closer to what they think you deserve, but not as a baseline salary.

Good luck with your search.

Thanks, I checked the data, but data tends to be around 45-50,000 a year for paralegal/jr paralegal/legal secretary positions. I wanted to show the data to them, but it's just fodder for them to say "seee.... you SHOULD be getting paid more".

It's frustrating because I actually declined a few offers (<$10/hr), and I'm about to accept the offer I get, which is ~$25k per year (keep in mind, i am entry-legal with no relevant experience). honestly im just grateful to have A job in this crappy economy. I have friends who have been looking for full-time positions for over 6+ months (they are doing temp jobs, working at non-related places while looking for actual jobs). and I'd honestly rather have A job paying 25K a year that is full time, in the legal field, rather than doing odd jobs here and there.

I WANT to take this position honestly. Even if I find a similar legal secretary/entry level paralegal position, honestly the difference would be maybe a few hundred $ a month. That does seem a lot, since it adds up, but... I'd rather sacrifice that few hundred potential gain, rather than have NO job. It's just the rentals giving me pressure/doubt/confusion @_@

just do whats best for you.

[bjsesq]

Oh snap. A "your mom" joke. This guy, he's going places. Hopefully an AIDS clinic.

[jurisx]

Oh snap. A "your mom" joke. This guy, he's going places. Hopefully an AIDS clinic.

Yes, because mentioning a nation wide epidemic in reply to a thread of jobs, so much better.
I'm sure the thousands of people with dieing family all around america love you right now. You so awsome. Tell your infected mother I can't risk being your little brothers daddy. Not worth it. Not after the rash she gave me last time. Sorry bro, looks like you have to fill in for me with giving her the anal tonight. She says you are better at it anyways. Just call her Jeff like you normally do with your eyes closed. Its for the best.

[bjsesq]

Oh snap. A "your mom" joke. This guy, he's going places. Hopefully an AIDS clinic.

Yes, because mentioning a nation wide epidemic in reply to a thread of jobs, so much better.
I'm sure the thousands of people with dieing family all around america love you right now. You so awsome. Tell your infected mother I can't risk being your little brothers daddy. Not worth it. Not after the rash she gave me last time. Sorry bro, looks like you have to fill in for me with giving her the anal tonight. She says you are better at it anyways. Just call her Jeff like you normally do with your eyes closed. Its for the best.

Imma need you to lengthen out the "your mom" joke a bit more to show me how bawss you are. This was b-squad shit.

[jurisx]

Oh snap. A "your mom" joke. This guy, he's going places. Hopefully an AIDS clinic.

Yes, because mentioning a nation wide epidemic in reply to a thread of jobs, so much better.
I'm sure the thousands of people with dieing family all around america love you right now. You so awsome. Tell your infected mother I can't risk being your little brothers daddy. Not worth it. Not after the rash she gave me last time. Sorry bro, looks like you have to fill in for me with giving her the anal tonight. She says you are better at it anyways. Just call her Jeff like you normally do with your eyes closed. Its for the best.

Imma need you to lengthen out the "your mom" joke a bit more to show me how bawss you are. This was b-squad shit.

what joke?

[bjsesq]

Oh snap. A "your mom" joke. This guy, he's going places. Hopefully an AIDS clinic.

Yes, because mentioning a nation wide epidemic in reply to a thread of jobs, so much better.
I'm sure the thousands of people with dieing family all around america love you right now. You so awsome. Tell your infected mother I can't risk being your little brothers daddy. Not worth it. Not after the rash she gave me last time. Sorry bro, looks like you have to fill in for me with giving her the anal tonight. She says you are better at it anyways. Just call her Jeff like you normally do with your eyes closed. Its for the best.

Imma need you to lengthen out the "your mom" joke a bit more to show me how bawss you are. This was b-squad shit.

what joke?

Solid, but I was hoping for another one of those "watch me list out specific maladies and family members" one pager that you showed earlier. Like a bawss.

[spleenworship]

Anyone in this thread who is berating paralegals obviously has never been a summer associate. Paralegals saved my life on so many occasions. Honestly if I had a question I'd usually go to them before I went to a lawyer.

I'd have committed suicide four times over already without the paralegals.


<------------ Four weeks in to first SA gig.


ETA: jurisx is a douchenozzle.

Proves they serve a purpose. Not that you should be one. Not that they are equal.

kind of proves you suck though,

You don't even know what you are arguing anymore do you?

I hope and pray I someday meet you in court. That way when I am done with the equivilent of that scene in Deliverence with you I'll get the judge to order you to pay my attorney's fees and use them as a bonus for my paralegal, you pretentious shit brained prick.

[paratactical]

The only two attorneys I have ever encountered in my entire career who had negative opinions about the value of paralegals were both "eased" out of the firm after their third years as associates. I mean, believe what you're going to believe, but for your sake jurisx, I hope you know how to hide it in a professional atmosphere.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Holy shit this thread is bad.

OP, take the job man. You can move on later. The biggest mistakes I made immediately after college were turning down jobs because I was "holding out" for something better. You're really not looking at a career right now, just think of it as a temporary landing pad, something to pay the bills (even if just barely) while you get some real-world work experience and plot your next move.

[tigyrgrl]

.

[jurisx]

The only two attorneys I have ever encountered in my entire career who had negative opinions about the value of paralegals were both "eased" out of the firm after their third years as associates. I mean, believe what you're going to believe, but for your sake jurisx, I hope you know how to hide it in a professional atmosphere.

what a bunch of winners, can't even read.

Kiss their ass all you want, I am nice to the janitor every day. I smile, wave, know his name, but I will never shake his damn hand (duh) and I wonder why I wouldn't encourage someone else to be one if they can avoid it (duh)

Ok, get it? No. Of course not.

Give the special ed kids their gold stars, make them feel special, get them to do their job, just don't fall behind and become one of them. (not hard, get over it)

[jurisx]

Holy shit this thread is bad.

OP, take the job man. You can move on later. The biggest mistakes I made immediately after college were turning down jobs because I was "holding out" for something better. You're really not looking at a career right now, just think of it as a temporary landing pad, something to pay the bills (even if just barely) while you get some real-world work experience and plot your next move.

Most sound thing I have heard yet.

Do what you have to do, just don't get stuck. (hell the grunts will appreciate you more if they think you were one of them once anyways, just don't wake up in 20 years and be in the same spot-many do)

[Tom Joad]

The only two attorneys I have ever encountered in my entire career who had negative opinions about the value of paralegals were both "eased" out of the firm after their third years as associates. I mean, believe what you're going to believe, but for your sake jurisx, I hope you know how to hide it in a professional atmosphere.

what a bunch of winners, can't even read.

Kiss their ass all you want, I am nice to the janitor every day. I smile, wave, know his name, but I will never shake his damn hand (duh) and I wonder why I wouldn't encourage someone else to be one if they can avoid it (duh)

Ok, get it? No. Of course not.

Give the special ed kids their gold stars, make them feel special, get them to do their job, just don't fall behind and become one of them. (not hard, get over it)

Being a janitor isn't a bad job, but not anybody is cut out for it.

[cinephile]

Kiss their ass all you want, I am nice to the janitor every day. I smile, wave, know his name, but I will never shake his damn hand (duh) and I wonder why I wouldn't encourage someone else to be one if they can avoid it (duh)

I actually don't get it. Do you not shake his hand on principle because of some bullshit class issue, or because he's been cleaning things and has dirt on his hands?

Also, if janitors were well paid, I think a lot of us would gladly work as janitors. Being chained to a desk all day is really stifling and I'd rather have a job involving some kind of physical element.

[AreJay711]

Kiss their ass all you want, I am nice to the janitor every day. I smile, wave, know his name, but I will never shake his damn hand (duh) and I wonder why I wouldn't encourage someone else to be one if they can avoid it (duh)

I actually don't get it. Do you not shake his hand on principle because of some bullshit class issue, or because he's been cleaning things and has dirt on his hands?

Also, if janitors were well paid, I think a lot of us would gladly work as janitors. Being chained to a desk all day is really stifling and I'd rather have a job involving some kind of physical element.

Non-janitorial building maintenance (like building managers / staff) is the construction equivalent of moving in-house from biglaw. Dudes fight for that shit because you sit in the ac all day and if you can't fix something you call a contractor while making only moderately less and sometimes more if you go fed govt and were underpaid before.

[sundance95]

Lol jurisx, I wish that I could see your face when you realize halfway thru your SA that the paras know 1000x more than you do, and that they can sink your chancs at an offer/advancement. Unfortunately, I doubt I'll have the opportunity since you'd have to actually get an SA first.

[IAFG]

Woah, lots of fuckwaddery up in here. I was just gonna say that I graduated during the boom and no one with a liberal arts degree from my big state school was making more than $50k. Since then entry level salaries have only decreased.

I really do feel sorry for self-aggrandizing law students though. It must suck so much harder when they find out they're not at the top of the food chain even in their own little universe.

[Anonymous User]

The only two attorneys I have ever encountered in my entire career who had negative opinions about the value of paralegals were both "eased" out of the firm after their third years as associates. I mean, believe what you're going to believe, but for your sake jurisx, I hope you know how to hide it in a professional atmosphere.

what a bunch of winners, can't even read.

Kiss their ass all you want, I am nice to the janitor every day. I smile, wave, know his name, but I will never shake his damn hand (duh) and I wonder why I wouldn't encourage someone else to be one if they can avoid it (duh)

Ok, get it? No. Of course not.

Give the special ed kids their gold stars, make them feel special, get them to do their job, just don't fall behind and become one of them. (not hard, get over it)

Being a janitor isn't a bad job, but not anybody is cut out for it.

[jurisx]

Lol jurisx, I wish that I could see your face when you realize halfway thru your SA that the paras know 1000x more than you do, and that they can sink your chancs at an offer/advancement. Unfortunately, I doubt I'll have the opportunity since you'd have to actually get an SA first.

re-read my last post. (all of them for that case)

You won't, your too stupid. But ok.