LEGAL SALARY DATAPOINTS Forum

[treeey86]

tagging good post. I previously replied (anon)

[Anonymous User]

Third year associate at Hong Kong office of New York firm.

Base: 185,000
Cost of Living Adjustment: ~100,000
Bonus: NY market (25,000 as a second year)

If you don't mind, could you share how you ended up in Hong Kong?

Not at all. I started at a V-5 in New York then lateraled when my firm wanted to send me to HK. My current firm is similarly ranked, does similar work and has a better expat package, so it was an easy choice.

I think my path to HK is pretty typical. Strong or native Chinese skills plus experience at a top US firm is highly sought after and competed for by firms here. I probably came earlier in my career than most due to market conditions when I lateraled.

Thanks for the info. Care to share your firm's billable requirement and typical hours? Curious if it is same as US major market big law hours. Are the hour requirements pretty consistent for all US big law firms in HK? Thanks again!

[Anonymous User]

Biglaw firm, patent

Small city in the Southeast (~300k people)

2011 law grad

2015 salary was $210k. Not 100% sure what my 2016 salary will be. Iur salaries are nominally "merit-based," and they don't finish the review process until obscenely late in the year. That said, they have an unpublished salary scale that's based on class year and basically follows market unless you don't make your hours. So my salary this year should be $230k.

Billable hour minimum is 1900. You can get by doing around that amount and be fine depending on what you have going on, but I billed 2400+ last year, not really by choice. I'm expecting a bonus around 20% of my 2015 salary, which is decent but definitely below "market," especially given what I billed. Still, I can't really complain considering the cost of living where I live.

[abogadesq]

1. PD Office in the South.

2. 1 million people in the district.

3. Less than a year on the job; joined out of LS.

4. $43k salary (ouch). Benefits are great though.

5. Cost of living is higher than one would expect, but still low enough that you can get around with a PD salary, unlike in a lot of big cities in the country.

Looking at the salary projection, it's not very good. Most attorneys are looking at 60k mid-career. However, the ones who stay love the job so much they don't care. I don't plan on staying for long because of the pay.

[Anonymous User]

a) Assistant DA
b) 1st year
c) NYC
d) 65k including bonuses. 70k due to law school's PI incentives. Annual 3-5k raises.
e) After a few years, senior/ supervisory positions make anywhere from 80k - 170k. (DA makes about 200k)

[Anonymous User]

a) Associate in niche practice at a midsize firm
b) 4th year
c) Secondary market, Northeast
d) $120k + bonus (combination of merit + hours). 1800 billable requirement.

This is really valuable information. Thanks to everyone who has contributed.

[Anonymous User]

Federal Attorney - GS14
6th year
Midwest
125k

The one weird thing about working for the feds is that everyone has to enter their time in this system called SCLCADA. So, I actually get paid by the hour and am expected to work a 80 hours a pay period (two weeks). It feels a bit weird to have to punch out when I take lunch, but otherwise no complaints. Government matches TSP contributions to 5% and then we can also draw an annuity after putting in a certain number of years.

Once I hit the 15 year mark, I'll start earing 1 day of leave per pay period (26 per year) right now I get 3/4 of a day for each pay period. You also accrue 1/2 day of sick leave each pay period and there is no cap on how many you can carry over.

[Anonymous User]

Federal Attorney - GS14
6th year
Midwest
125k

The one weird thing about working for the feds is that everyone has to enter their time in this system called SCLCADA. So, I actually get paid by the hour and am expected to work a 80 hours a pay period (two weeks). It feels a bit weird to have to punch out when I take lunch, but otherwise no complaints. Government matches TSP contributions to 5% and then we can also draw an annuity after putting in a certain number of years.

Once I hit the 15 year mark, I'll start earing 1 day of leave per pay period (26 per year) right now I get 3/4 of a day for each pay period. You also accrue 1/2 day of sick leave each pay period and there is no cap on how many you can carry over.

I work for the feds and do not clock in or clock out. Never heard of SCLCADA. My agency uses something called webta. For some reason, I assumed the entire federal government used the same timekeeping and payroll system, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

[zot1]

Federal Attorney - GS14
6th year
Midwest
125k

The one weird thing about working for the feds is that everyone has to enter their time in this system called SCLCADA. So, I actually get paid by the hour and am expected to work a 80 hours a pay period (two weeks). It feels a bit weird to have to punch out when I take lunch, but otherwise no complaints. Government matches TSP contributions to 5% and then we can also draw an annuity after putting in a certain number of years.

Once I hit the 15 year mark, I'll start earing 1 day of leave per pay period (26 per year) right now I get 3/4 of a day for each pay period. You also accrue 1/2 day of sick leave each pay period and there is no cap on how many you can carry over.

I work for the feds and do not clock in or clock out. Never heard of SCLCADA. My agency uses something called webta. For some reason, I assumed the entire federal government used the same timekeeping and payroll system, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

I don't clock in or out either.

[Anonymous User]

I'm the guy who assumed everyone used SLDCADA and had to clock out. I stand corrected.

[Anonymous User]

Major Texas market. Small (less than 20 people total) boutique transactional firm.
3rd-year attorney.
1800 billable requirement.
2015 salary: $110K with a $40K bonus. 2016 salary: $130K with the expectation of a similar bonus.
Benefits are excellent.

[Anonymous User]

Third year associate at Hong Kong office of New York firm.

Base: 185,000
Cost of Living Adjustment: ~100,000
Bonus: NY market (25,000 as a second year)

If you don't mind, could you share how you ended up in Hong Kong?

Not at all. I started at a V-5 in New York then lateraled when my firm wanted to send me to HK. My current firm is similarly ranked, does similar work and has a better expat package, so it was an easy choice.

I think my path to HK is pretty typical. Strong or native Chinese skills plus experience at a top US firm is highly sought after and competed for by firms here. I probably came earlier in my career than most due to market conditions when I lateraled.

Thanks for the info. Care to share your firm's billable requirement and typical hours? Curious if it is same as US major market big law hours. Are the hour requirements pretty consistent for all US big law firms in HK? Thanks again!

Requirements are the same as in the US. The hours are much more up and down out here. It's easy to do 3000 one year followed by 2000 the next. That said, good associates are rare out here, so if you are actually competent you will generally stay pretty busy.

[februarybartaker]

Major Texas market. Small (less than 20 people total) boutique transactional firm.
3rd-year attorney.
1800 billable requirement.
2015 salary: $110K with a $40K bonus. 2016 salary: $130K with the expectation of a similar bonus.
Benefits are excellent.

Can you PM me?

[BigLawer]

Major Texas market. Small (less than 20 people total) boutique transactional firm.
3rd-year attorney.
1800 billable requirement.
2015 salary: $110K with a $40K bonus. 2016 salary: $130K with the expectation of a similar bonus.
Benefits are excellent.

Can you PM me?

Very curious as well. I honestly didn't know there were transactional firms this size - I am guessing its less M&A/securities and more tax/LLC/real estate?

[Anonymous User]

Major Texas market. Small (less than 20 people total) boutique transactional firm.
3rd-year attorney.
1800 billable requirement.
2015 salary: $110K with a $40K bonus. 2016 salary: $130K with the expectation of a similar bonus.
Benefits are excellent.

Can you PM me?

Very curious as well. I honestly didn't know there were transactional firms this size - I am guessing its less M&A/securities and more tax/LLC/real estate?

OP being quoted. It's more real estate related, but I can't go into more specific detail because there are very few firms that do this type of work. It's very niche. Not M&A / securities work.

[TheRedMamba]

Major Texas market. Small (less than 20 people total) boutique transactional firm.
3rd-year attorney.
1800 billable requirement.
2015 salary: $110K with a $40K bonus. 2016 salary: $130K with the expectation of a similar bonus.
Benefits are excellent.

Can you PM me?

Very curious as well. I honestly didn't know there were transactional firms this size - I am guessing its less M&A/securities and more tax/LLC/real estate?

OP being quoted. It's more real estate related, but I can't go into more specific detail because there are very few firms that do this type of work. It's very niche. Not M&A / securities work.

Congratulations, ya outed yaself.

[Anonymous User]

2nd year
Big Texas market
small firm, niche area consisting of both transactional and litigation.
$88,000
401k contribution
1800 hours

[Anonymous User]

OP being quoted. It's more real estate related, but I can't go into more specific detail because there are very few firms that do this type of work. It's very niche. Not M&A / securities work.

Congratulations, ya outed yaself.

[BigLawer]

OP being quoted. It's more real estate related, but I can't go into more specific detail because there are very few firms that do this type of work. It's very niche. Not M&A / securities work.

Congratulations, ya outed yaself.

He was being sarcastic, and honestly, the mods should out them.
(and I have never called for an anonymous outing)

[Anonymous User]

OP being quoted. It's more real estate related, but I can't go into more specific detail because there are very few firms that do this type of work. It's very niche. Not M&A / securities work.

Congratulations, ya outed yaself.

He was being sarcastic, and honestly, the mods should out them.
(and I have never called for an anonymous outing)

If you want to discuss further, I can PM you.

[Anonymous User]

a) Assistant DA
b) 1st year
c) NYC
d) 65k including bonuses. 70k due to law school's PI incentives. Annual 3-5k raises.
e) After a few years, senior/ supervisory positions make anywhere from 80k - 170k. (DA makes about 200k)

^ strange because...

a) Also an ADA
b) 1st year
c) NYC
d) 63K w/ bar admission bonus, perhaps could be rounded up to 65-66K with additional night/holiday/weekend bonuses
e) Hours anywhere from 50-80 per week depending on how much is going on that week (tends to be higher if you're on trial)

[Anonymous User]

a) Attorney at a federal financial regulatory agency
b) 2 years
c) Washington DC
d) $130K plus $10K per year towards my student loan payment.

[lhanvt13]

In-House (VP) at I-bank
- Major Market
- Base: $200,000
- Bonus: Up to $25,000 (changes year by year)
- Benefits: Matching 401K up to $5,000, 5 weeks vacation
- Hours: 8:30 - 6:00 (later when very busy, but still not bad)

Care to tell us how you ended up there? Thanks

Basically just luck. Randomly met an MD that was hiring in a non-traditional role (quasi-legal) and we just hit it off. Was looking at other firms at the time, but decided that big law was no longer for me (never really was in the first place) after I got the offer. Had a more interesting background/experience than most big law associates (mix of finance/consulting/regulatory), so when interviewing other candidates I was apparently a very easy sell as long as people liked me.

Congratulations - sounds like a great gig. I am a first year big law M&A associate and this sounds like my dream in-house job. Do you mind saying how many years you were in big law?

I was in big law for about 1.25 years. Really hated big law and was looking to lateral to a different firm that had west coast roots and specialized in VC/EGC work. Decided if I was going to hate my life, I at least wanted to do the work that was interesting to me and have a chance to go in house at a start up out west. This really came out of no where and I'm really happy it did, not sure how much happier I would be at another big firm regardless of practice area or location.

Holy cow 1.25 years? You mean I only have to stick it out for another 11 months before going in house?

Yep! Then you'll be super marketable....like I said, I got very lucky and i'm not in a pure legal position. It's not a traditional in-house job, but something pretty different, more on the project management/risk management side of things. If you want to be a part of the pure central in-house team of an investment bank, then I've heard of people leaving as 3rd/4th years if they are lucky, but nothing sooner than that. I'm ok with not being a part of the core legal function of a bank/company/etc. so for me it wasn't a big deal, but I know others that probably wouldn't have taken it.

Thanks for sharing! Could you PM me? Very interested in taking my career towards the direction you took, and would like to ask a few more questions

[Danger Zone]

Can you pm me as well?

[synergy]

Can you pm me as well?

This sounds incredible, could you PM me too? I'd really appreciate it.