Top Law Schools

http://www.hskrr.com/default.html

As you can see it's not a big or even mid-sized law firm....what could be an example of a salary earned by an attorney (non-Partner) at this firm? At least $70k?
How about for a Partner?

The reason I ask: This is the kind of law that interests me more than all the corporate work in BigLaw...and it seems based on its website to be a step above a downtown legal clinic that provides a lot of free legal services to low-income citizens, though resulting in considerably reduced income for its attorneys. If I work at one a firm like the one in the website after law school, I want to at least be able to support a family, which is not too feasible working at a public interest clinic(?)

Judging by the settlements they've gotten (mostly in the millions), their credentials(school/honors/experience), they must be making at least $60-70k at the minimum.

Then again I wouldn't be surprised if it were lower than that ($30-45k). They definitely don't seem to be about money as a career factor. As far as I'm concerned they're doing GOD'S WORK down there, man. If this is the type of work that interests you, definitely go for it.

I hear you about wanting to be able to support a family, but keep in mind that in biglaw, while you'll be able to support a family financially, you'll probably sacrifice all other aspects of family life.

I would say 80-120k for entry level, and 150-200k for mid-level associate.

Anonymous User wrote:they must be making at least $60-70k at the minimum.

Then again I wouldn't be surprised if it were lower than that ($30-45k)

wat

Anonymous User wrote:I would say 80-120k for entry level, and 150-200k for mid-level associate.

I doubt this. Given the areas of law they practice I'd imagine they take most cases on a contingency fee basis. I'm betting they have something like a low base salary of 45-60k with a nice bonus/commission program. Although it wouldn't surprise me if the mid-levels made 150-200k given the amounts of some of the firm's settlements.

I worked at a plaintiff's firm over the summer that is widely known to be one of the best in the state. It was a classy place with verdicts and I'd say close to 30 million or more over one summer.

The associates all drove the most expensive cars and many had multiples and were buying houses in very expensive parts of town. A paralegal told me that they work mainly on a bonus system. It is scary to think how much money some of those associates make in bonus money. In one week the firm had about 25 million dollars in settlements.....

Step 1: Enter attorneys name into whitepages people finder

Step 2: Write down whitepages home address

Step 3: Enter address into google maps streetview to see house


Multiple luxury cars? Eh, not exactly...

MrAnon wrote:Step 1: Enter attorneys name into whitepages people finder

Step 2: Write down whitepages home address

Step 3: Enter address into google maps streetview to see house


Multiple luxury cars? Eh, not exactly...

You really did all of that? Slightly creepy...

MrAnon wrote:Step 1: Enter attorneys name into whitepages people finder

Step 2: Write down whitepages home address

Step 3: Enter address into google maps streetview to see house


Multiple luxury cars? Eh, not exactly...

Better approach is to use Zillow to get a good estimate of the value of their houses! Practice your investigative techniques

There are definitely some people that have stood outside people's windows w/ boomboxes at 2am.

Deleted post

MrAnon wrote:Step 1: Enter attorneys name into whitepages people finder

Step 2: Write down whitepages home address

Step 3: Enter address into google maps streetview to see house


Multiple luxury cars? Eh, not exactly...

Thank you for inspiring me to lock down my facebook privacy settings.

Good info so far: any further educated guesses/comments? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the original question.

(Given the website's report of several multimillion dollar verdicts, couldn't we safely assume the salary's 100k+ for Associates?)

ComatoseClown wrote:Good info so far: any further educated guesses/comments? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the original question.

(Given the website's report of several multimillion dollar verdicts, couldn't we safely assume the salary's 100k+ for Associates?)

Dude I hope you are right, considering I am in the same exact boat with an interview in a few days at such a "tons of multi-million dollar settlements" kind of firm that looks very nice.

Anonymous User wrote:They definitely don't seem to be about money as a career factor. As far as I'm concerned they're doing GOD'S WORK down there, man.

LOL! The partners in this firm are millionaires many times over.

Why guess? You can easily google information about these people and get a sense of what they earn and where they live. 100K in LA with a family isnt going to take you very far.

Starting salary is likely in the 60 to 75k range for an admitted attorney. Plus or minus 10k at most. Salary is almost certainly not "lock-step" and probably based on merit. If they offer a nice split for signing up a case, i.e. you bring the case in, this could be a lucrative place for the right associate.

I would bet that an associate at a place like this would likely break 100k within 3 to 4 years.

The quality of speculation ITT has been unusually bad even by TLS standards.

I would bet that an associate at a place like this would likely break 100k within 3 to 4 years.

Thus, by the age of 30, whether you have school debt or not, you'd be one of the poorer white collar professionals in Los Angeles.

I think in most plaintiffs firms with contingent fee income it's the partners that really take home the big bucks. My guess would be that they pay associates 60-70, with maybe a bonus in the neighborhood of 10 in the first year. I think if you prove yourself to be a competent litigator, and especially if you manage to bring in a case and take the lead on it, your compensation improves substantially. Firms like this don't need to throw 10,000 bodies at massive corporate cases, and they don't need to have their associates going 24/7 at all times either. They need competent associates that can help with the day to day stuff and go to the mat when a trial is coming, but they probably won't pay those associates huge amounts of money until those associates are actually bringing money into the firm. They can't bill clients for associate time with the same certainty as a big firm can, so they can't justify a higher salary. That said, 70k is still pretty decent and the work seems way more interesting than biglaw.

Also, the partners at this firm probably make more than most biglaw partners. Granted there are probably years where they have droughts, but in good years these partners probably make multiple millions each.

MrAnon wrote:Step 1: Enter attorneys name into whitepages people finder

Step 2: Write down whitepages home address

Step 3: Enter address into google maps streetview to see house


Multiple luxury cars? Eh, not exactly...

Oh. My. God.

ComatoseClown wrote:http://www.hskrr.com/default.html

As you can see it's not a big or even mid-sized law firm....what could be an example of a salary earned by an attorney (non-Partner) at this firm? At least $70k?
How about for a Partner?

The reason I ask: This is the kind of law that interests me more than all the corporate work in BigLaw...and it seems based on its website to be a step above a downtown legal clinic that provides a lot of free legal services to low-income citizens, though resulting in considerably reduced income for its attorneys. If I work at one a firm like the one in the website after law school, I want to at least be able to support a family, which is not too feasible working at a public interest clinic(?)

Marginal base salary + eat what you kill.

Who the hell knows. Your best bet is probably to find other firms of similar size in the area and see if they have salary information, either on their website or on NALP.

traehekat wrote:Who the hell knows. Your best bet is probably to find other firms of similar size in the area and see if they have salary information, either on their website or on NALP.

This wouldn't be effective at all for this firm (look at their settlements and it'll be obvious why).

As much as it pains me to say so, MrAnon's ultra-fucking-creepy method of investigation is by far the most promising in trying to get an answer. Or I guess you could just call and ask.