Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad? Forum

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Thu Dec 22, 2016 11:16 pm

Just curious. Does anyone here know? I have a friend who works at MoFo in Tokyo and he's paid U.S. rates but I don't know if this is the anomaly.

Wipfelder · Post by **Wipfelder** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 1:25 am

Anonymous User wrote:Just curious. Does anyone here know? I have a friend who works at MoFo in Tokyo and he's paid U.S. rates but I don't know if this is the anomaly.

But that COLA

Johann · Post by **Johann** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:18 am

Yeah either the same or more.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:22 am

Anonymous User wrote:Just curious. Does anyone here know? I have a friend who works at MoFo in Tokyo and he's paid U.S. rates but I don't know if this is the anomaly.

Will be summering at a firm's satellite office in Tokyo, and they also pay U.S. rates. Not sure how other international rates compare, but anecdotally Japan seems to follow the U.S. rates.

As for COLA, having lived in Tokyo before law school, I found it cheaper than NYC. There are expensive neighborhoods near the center of the city (Roppongi, Otemachi, etc.), but outside those areas it wasn't that bad.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:50 am

Pretty common for foreign offices of biglaw firms to pay US market + cost of living allowances. Also some of these places have substantially lower income taxes (e.g. HK, Gulf countries, Singapore).

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 10:57 am

My friend at an Asian satellite office of a V10 gets paid US rate salary + ~100k COLA but he lives at his folk's place so essentially getting paid ~70%ish bonus. (The pay also comes in at USD, which is nice at a strong dollar times like this).

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 11:09 am

What about how it works in Europe, i.e. Rome or Milan, or even Paris, London or Brussels?

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 11:46 am

Anonymous User wrote:Pretty common for foreign offices of biglaw firms to pay US market + cost of living allowances. Also some of these places have substantially lower income taxes (e.g. HK, Gulf countries, Singapore).

Keep in mind that as a US citizen or greencard holder, we get the honor of paying additional US income taxes (+ possible payroll taxes) after the first 100k.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:10 pm

Yes. That I did know!

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:14 pm

I'm really trying to work in paris after my clerkship. Trying to get info on the lifestyles at the different offices there and who does the most sophisticated work in arbitration and transnational litigation.

worldtraveler · Post by **worldtraveler** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:53 pm

In the gulf countries you usually get paid your US base salary + housing allowance or firm provided housing +home leave allowance (paid in cash) + resettlement allowance + transportation allowance + completely free health insurance that covers 100% of anything you can think of

Wipfelder · Post by **Wipfelder** » Sat Dec 24, 2016 12:28 pm

worldtraveler wrote:In the gulf countries you usually get paid your US base salary + housing allowance or firm provided housing +home leave allowance (paid in cash) + resettlement allowance + transportation allowance + completely free health insurance that covers 100% of anything you can think of

Damn, that is tempting.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 6:36 am

Anonymous User wrote:I'm really trying to work in paris after my clerkship. Trying to get info on the lifestyles at the different offices there and who does the most sophisticated work in arbitration and transnational litigation.

Basically every US qualified lawyer I know of in Europe does corporate/lev finance, so can't help you there.

To the general question above, though, London market is currently NYC + COLA, which depending on firm is somewhere around an extra 60kGBP-100kUSD. They also generally pay for at least several years of tax prep (covering those US/UK tax adventures), etc. (My old firm also paid for a couple round-trip tickets per-year home each year, new firm doesn't but had more interesting work/main office here.)

It's a great time to have a USD-denominated salary right now and live in the UK. We've all effectively gotten a massive pay bump since Brexit.

Veil of Ignorance · Post by **Veil of Ignorance** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:52 am

Why do you get such a huge COLA for cities like London, when living in New York is pretty much as expensive? It seems like an extra 100k per year would make these positions by far the most attractive for new associates. Does the double tax burden eliminate the difference or something?

2014 · Post by **2014** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 9:43 am

London positions are often competitive for US associates, even if you are just talking about moving from your firm's US hub to London. Without a good reason to be in London most people will have trouble doing it. I think over the next 3-5 years the London COLA is going to drop/go away, I've already heard talk of it at my firm though nothing in the form of an official announcement.

Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad? Forum

Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Register for access!

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Re: Are U.S. trained attorneys paid U.S. firm rates abroad?

Register now!