I've had the worst 5 years ever since graduating from a top tier law school and I am posting to get some idea if I am alone, or what if any advice you would give me. I currently work as an Independent Contractor equivalent to a legal secretary, or paralegal (some of the work is mind numbingly boring and simple, while other work is more equivalent to a paralegal, although obviously I am capable of a lot more than they are giving me) working from home for a really big prominent law firm located in another state. They pay me $20 an hour. I applied through a recruiting / temp agency last year and was told I can't make more than I make now until I pass the bar because all employers view me as a risk that I will be taking off very soon. For this reason I did not even tell my current "employer" I was studying for the bar exam.
Due to some personal issues including a really difficult custody case and not passing the bar the first time as well as having babies after law school and a new marriage, I have just not passed the bar.
I've been working the same job for almost 2 years now. I looked up the starting salaries online and found an article that says they pay paralegals at my firm a starting salary of $80k and legal secretaries $54k which is a lot more than they pay me. This could sort of be my fault because I just don't know how to negotiate salary, but when they hired me they asked my fee, I hinted that I wanted more than they offered me the first time that they had offered me a contract, but said that "well last time you hired me it was for $20 an hour and that was a few years ago, so" and they said, oh, ok $20 an hour?" and then they just kind of went with that.
I am hoping to pass the bar and get results in November but there is also a chance I failed a second time and will have to retake in February.
I was looking for other opportunities and the first job I applied for was going to actually turn out to pay me less take home than I am making now.
I guess my main question is, as a person with a law degree who has not passed the bar, how in the world am I supposed to ask for a raise, find a better job, or expect to make any money until I pass the bar... all advice welcome, as I am feeling rather down.
I am in Texas, and my law firm is in California.
Salary Ranges Until you Pass the Bar Forum
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Re: Salary Ranges Until you Pass the Bar
You can really delete everything but the last part as nothing before that is necessary to help you out.
How to ask for a raise? Go to your boss and ask for one. It doesn't matter whether you pass the bar because you're not trying to transition from law clerk to attorney.
Better job? Apply for document review jobs or JD-advantage jobs (think contracting officer).
How to make money? Hustle, hustle, hustle.
How to ask for a raise? Go to your boss and ask for one. It doesn't matter whether you pass the bar because you're not trying to transition from law clerk to attorney.
Better job? Apply for document review jobs or JD-advantage jobs (think contracting officer).
How to make money? Hustle, hustle, hustle.
