Paralegal: negotiating salary? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Classmate was at a V5 in NYC as a legal assistant / paralegal before law school. He said a co-worker got his pay with OT up over the $100k mark, but the guy spent all his time working. I think the base was in the mid to high 30s.

[drh_104]

25% unemployment for college grads? total crap. Try 3.9% (May 2012 numbers). Recent college grad unemployment is higher, but still not a quarter.

That said, asking for 65k wont get you anywhere. 38-40k is base entry level, so with 2.5 years experience (if it is at all related) you may be able to negotiate 42-45k depending on your market.

but hooma is right- be a legal secretary! they don't do shit these days and are still making 60k salaries as if typewriting was still useful.

[jurisx]

Was is a paralegal posting on a law school forum? Did you fail law school?

Me fail English? That's unpossible!

What's up with all the paralegals on the big kid forum?

Lots of paralegals consider law school at points in their careers. Also, "big kid"? LOL.

lots of enlisted people "consider" being officers and lots of nurses "consider" being doctors too.

[jurisx]

25% unemployment for college grads? total crap. Try 3.9% (May 2012 numbers). Recent college grad unemployment is higher, but still not a quarter.

That said, asking for 65k wont get you anywhere. 38-40k is base entry level, so with 2.5 years experience (if it is at all related) you may be able to negotiate 42-45k depending on your market.

but hooma is right- be a legal secretary! they don't do shit these days and are still making 60k salaries as if typewriting was still useful.

Those who project that lie is due to the "in their field" BS.

Huge Suprise when someone with a PhD in Insect Husbandry can't find work in their field a month out of school.

[jurisx]

Look for a job as a legal secretary. You'll work a lot less and get paid a lot more.

same thing

[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.

unauthorised practice of law is always such a treat.

people say the same thing about nurses, still won't make them into doctors.

[SchopenhauerFTW]

Hey, jurisx - stop being a twat.

[ilovesf]

Was is a paralegal posting on a law school forum? Did you fail law school?

Me fail English? That's unpossible!

What's up with all the paralegals on the big kid forum?

Lots of paralegals consider law school at points in their careers. Also, "big kid"? LOL.

lots of enlisted people "consider" being officers and lots of nurses "consider" being doctors too.

You're a cunt. Get over yourself.

[jurisx]

Was is a paralegal posting on a law school forum? Did you fail law school?

Me fail English? That's unpossible!

What's up with all the paralegals on the big kid forum?

Lots of paralegals consider law school at points in their careers. Also, "big kid"? LOL.

lots of enlisted people "consider" being officers and lots of nurses "consider" being doctors too.

You're a cunt. Get over yourself.

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.

[SchopenhauerFTW]

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.

unauthorised practice of law is always such a treat.

people say the same thing about nurses, still won't make them into doctors.

You missed the point.

[z0rk]

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.

[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.

unauthorised practice of law is always such a treat.

people say the same thing about nurses, still won't make them into doctors.

You missed the point.

The point intended being that paralegals serve a purpose and can help a lawyer, gotcha.

Still wouldn't make me want to be one of them or pretend they are equal.

[Tom Joad]

The point intended being that paralegals serve a purpose and can help a lawyer, gotcha.

Still wouldn't make me want to be one of them or pretend they are equal.

lol you are an idiot, esquire.

[SchopenhauerFTW]

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.

unauthorised practice of law is always such a treat.

people say the same thing about nurses, still won't make them into doctors.

You missed the point.

The point intended being that paralegals serve a purpose and can help a lawyer, gotcha.

Still wouldn't make me want to be one of them or pretend they are equal.

You don't have to think of them as attorneys. Just treat them with respect, bro.

[jurisx]

Seperate debate.

[jkpolk]

Sounds like mom and pop are stereotypical shitBOOMERS.

[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.

[jkpolk]

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.

it's like in diablo 2/3 where a bunch of really shitty items drop in order to make finding the sweet items more exciting. sure you could take out the shitty items (read; jurisx) but that would decrease the pleasure of finding sweet items.

[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.

it's like in diablo 2/3 where a bunch of really shitty items drop in order to make finding the sweet items more exciting. sure you could take out the shitty items (read; jurisx) but that would decrease the pleasure of finding sweet items.

Pre-mob buff, sure. Now I just want to eliminate all trash and get straight to the good stuff. This kid isn't even a vendorable gray.

[jkpolk]

Pre-mob buff, sure. Now I just want to eliminate all trash and get straight to the good stuff. This kid isn't even a vendorable gray.

yeah i see your point. that's another frustrating part- at least in wow you can get 5-10g for a shitty grey sword. in this thread, or in diablo 3, you cant vendor that for anything. how could we possibly leverage jurisx into lols without hijacking the thread with trolling

[bjsesq]

Pre-mob buff, sure. Now I just want to eliminate all trash and get straight to the good stuff. This kid isn't even a vendorable gray.

yeah i see your point. that's another frustrating part- at least in wow you can get 5-10g for a shitty grey sword. in this thread, or in diablo 3, you cant vendor that for anything. how could we possibly leverage jurisx into lols without hijacking the thread with trolling

What we need to do is enchant this guy and attempt to sell him on the AH to some n00b barbarian. Let's just hope he isn't fucking soulbound.

[fatduck]

quick, someone put him in a panda suit

[Anonymous User]

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 @_@

[Anonymous User]

I don't know how much paralegals make. But you should apply for ibanking or consulting positions, provided you have excellent grades. Each of those jobs will give you at least 65k (and that's on the very low end).

[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.