It's a bit mind blowing that 1st year associates at those firms are paid the same salary as a US District Court judge. I often wonder why so many clients are willing to pay the fees required to pay those salaries.
My first thought? Wow, new lawyers are getting paid a lot more than we law professors are. My second thought? There's no way I'd want to relive being an associate again, even though I learned a lot and liked most of my colleagues.
I totally agree, Nancy. For many of us, being an associate at a big firm is a great job for a certain point in our lives. We can get excellent experience, forge valuable professional relationships, and earn nice money (and pay off loans or save up for future goals) — and then move on to something that's a better fit for us.
But for folks who do love law firm life and intend to make a career out of it, God bless! And the pay raises make things even better for them (especially since the track to partner is getting longer, and it's harder to make partner today than in the past at many firms, especially equity partner).
Yep! For me, I've found my loophole in life: being a law professor, serving as an expert witness, etc. I get to think about the things I want to think about and structure my time accordingly. The increased benefit of control over my work outweighs the pay differential, with its lack of control.
I am less concerned about the associates than the partners. Why are Biglaw partners "making out like bandits"? What are the social and economic forces that enable this? Are those forces likely to continue, evolve, or abate? And finally, how do those outsized payments fit into the moral landscape of our society?
It's a bit mind blowing that 1st year associates at those firms are paid the same salary as a US District Court judge. I often wonder why so many clients are willing to pay the fees required to pay those salaries.
My first thought? Wow, new lawyers are getting paid a lot more than we law professors are. My second thought? There's no way I'd want to relive being an associate again, even though I learned a lot and liked most of my colleagues.
I totally agree, Nancy. For many of us, being an associate at a big firm is a great job for a certain point in our lives. We can get excellent experience, forge valuable professional relationships, and earn nice money (and pay off loans or save up for future goals) — and then move on to something that's a better fit for us.
But for folks who do love law firm life and intend to make a career out of it, God bless! And the pay raises make things even better for them (especially since the track to partner is getting longer, and it's harder to make partner today than in the past at many firms, especially equity partner).
Yep! For me, I've found my loophole in life: being a law professor, serving as an expert witness, etc. I get to think about the things I want to think about and structure my time accordingly. The increased benefit of control over my work outweighs the pay differential, with its lack of control.
I am less concerned about the associates than the partners. Why are Biglaw partners "making out like bandits"? What are the social and economic forces that enable this? Are those forces likely to continue, evolve, or abate? And finally, how do those outsized payments fit into the moral landscape of our society?