Environmental Law and Pay Forum

[CharlieFink]

Hello,

I am considering becoming an environmental lawyer, and I was wondering how much the job actually pays? Can someone direct me to a break-down of pay by type of law practiced?

I am hoping to get into UC Berkeley, but if I can't get in will likely go to UC Davis or McGeorge. Thanks in advance.

[nealric]

Anywhere from 160k (In a large firm doing corporate environmental stuff), to 20k (working for a small environmental non-profit). If you are looking to work on the non-profit side, make sure any school you attend has some sort of LRAP (loan repayment assistance program) for public interest lawyers. If you are counting on the corporate side, you really need to go to Berkeley (out of the schools you listed).

[beach_terror]

Just out of curiosity, how does Vermont Law (#1 USNews in Environmental Law) and Lewis and Clark fair in terms of environmental law mobility and job prospects?

[Danteshek]

Just out of curiosity, how does Vermont Law (#1 USNews in Environmental Law) and Lewis and Clark fair in terms of environmental law mobility and job prospects?

Just fine.

[nealric]

Just out of curiosity, how does Vermont Law (#1 USNews in Environmental Law) and Lewis and Clark fair in terms of environmental law mobility and job prospects?

They won't get you into a biglaw environmental practice. They are probably pretty good for public interest environmental law though.

[jfr1184]

I'm curious, what does environmental work for BigLaw typically involve?

[Yimbeezy]

I'm curious, what does environmental work for BigLaw typically involve?

compliance, tort, and criminal defense, inter alia.

[gatorlion]

For information regarding degree mobility of different environmental law schools, check out my Environmental Law Preference Rankings, specifically the "National Reach" measure under the "Job Prospects" category.

Environmental Law Preference Rankings
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key= ... utput=html

[beach_terror]

Just out of curiosity, how does Vermont Law (#1 USNews in Environmental Law) and Lewis and Clark fair in terms of environmental law mobility and job prospects?

They won't get you into a biglaw environmental practice. They are probably pretty good for public interest environmental law though.

I'm not too concerned with biglaw... however is it reasonable to consider that at least some of the graduates place into biglaw (maybe the standard 10%)?

[reasonable_man]

Just out of curiosity, how does Vermont Law (#1 USNews in Environmental Law) and Lewis and Clark fair in terms of environmental law mobility and job prospects?

They won't get you into a biglaw environmental practice. They are probably pretty good for public interest environmental law though.

I'm not too concerned with biglaw... however is it reasonable to consider that at least some of the graduates place into biglaw (maybe the standard 10%)?

LOL Try 1% on a good year.

[beach_terror]

Meh, like I said, not really concerned. Just curious.

[Aberzombie1892]

Here is Vermont law's US News Career Prospects report:

Careers : Vermont Law School

Bar Statistics (Winter and Summer 2007 administrations)
State where the greatest number of first-time test takers took the bar VT
School's bar passage rate for first-time test takers 73.3%
Statewide bar passage rate for first-time test takers 69.9%
Class of 2007 Graduates
Total graduates 177
Graduates employed at graduation 65.7%
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation 94.7%
Starting Salaries of 2007 Graduates Employed Full-time
25th percentile private sector starting salary $50,000
Median private sector starting salary $60,500
75th percentile private sector starting salary $90,000
Percent in the private sector who reported salary information 75%
Median public service starting salary $41,500
Areas of Legal Practice (Class of 2007)
Percent employed in academia 1.0%
Percent employed in business and industry 15.0%
Percent employed in government 17.0%
Percent employed in all judicial clerkships 21.0%
Percent employed in law firms 31.0%
Percent employed in public interest 15.0%
Percent employed in an unknown field 0.0%
Percent employed in a judicial clerkship by an Article III federal judge 2.0%
2007 Graduates Employment Location
Graduates employed in-state 15%
Graduates employed in foreign countries 0%
Number of states where graduates are employed 35
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 31.9%
Middle Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA) 17.9%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) 3.3%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) 2.0%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) 25.0%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) 0.7%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) 3.3%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) 10.6%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY) 5.3%
Employment location unknown 0.0%

Job Type
Bar admission required 69.5%
J.D. preferred 7.3%
Professional/other 4.0%
Nonprofessional/other 4.5%

MY NOTES (remember this is the class of 2007 - back in the good days):

1) 65.7% employed at graduation
2) $60,500 median private firm salary
3) Only 31% went into law firms (so 23% of the class contributed to the $60,500. I.e. 31 x .75)
4) Apparently it's relatively portable
5) Only 69% had jobs that required bar admission
6) In fact under job type, if you add 69.5% + 7.3% + 4.0% + 4.5%, it does not equal 100%.

CONCLUSION:

Vermont law is a good school, but understand what you are doing should you choose to go there.

[Renzo]

MY NOTES (remember this is the class of 2007 - back in the good days):

1) 65.7% employed at graduation
2) $60,500 median private firm salary
3) Only 31% went into law firms (so 23% of the class contributed to the $60,500. I.e. 31 x .75)
4) Apparently it's relatively portable
5) Only 69% had jobs that required bar admission
6) In fact under job type, if you add 69.5% + 7.3% + 4.0% + 4.5%, it does not equal 100%.

So in the good old days, only 45% of the class had a job practicing law at graduation, with 86% of the class reporting. Not good odds.

[beach_terror]

You also have to weigh in the fact that it's a third tier school, and for those who don't focus on the environment/plan to go into it... it's a pretty mundane school. I'd be interested to see statistics that pertain to those who concentrate on environmental law, if that's even available somewhere.

I'd never consider going there if I wasn't so hellbent on focusing on the environment... and even though I am, I'm still not 100% convinced.