5 answers
Angela
Student
Yuma, Arizona
1
Question
Asked
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What are the most significant difficulties lawyers encounter in their daily work, and how do they overcome them and is being a lawyer well paid?
Hi I’m a middle school student and I’ve been interested on being a lawyer but some people say it’s not a well paid job what are some good tips you could give me on how to become a lawyer.
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5 answers
DENNIS BREEN
Lawyer
230
Answers
Cary, North Carolina
Updated
DENNIS’s Answer
Hi Angela: You do not become a lawyer because you might be well paid - you become a lawyer to help the community. Lawyers are alot like fireman - they rush in when people are in physical danger. Lawyers are called in when someone is in another type of danger - going to jail, in need of a divorce, hurt in an accident. It's not the money - it's the helping that matters.
As to difficulties, they vary. Sometimes it's the paperwork, sometimes it's your client has unreasonable expectations, sometimes it's the Court. It varies everyday!
At this point Angela - just be a good student, learn all you can. Remember the best lawyers are the best people first!
As to difficulties, they vary. Sometimes it's the paperwork, sometimes it's your client has unreasonable expectations, sometimes it's the Court. It varies everyday!
At this point Angela - just be a good student, learn all you can. Remember the best lawyers are the best people first!
Hey Dennis thank you for the advice It really did help me.
Angela
Mrinalini K
Project manager
39
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Mrinalini’s Answer
It's normal to feel unsure, but remember, everyone faces competition in their field. Whether you're a lawyer or in any other job, it can be challenging. However, with a good degree and experience, you can earn a good salary. You're choosing a great profession, so stay true to honesty and loyalty. Good luck!
Paula Toomey
Complex Claims Director
2
Answers
Yorktown, Virginia
Updated
Paula’s Answer
Great question! One thing to consider is that you don't have to practice law to use a legal degree. As someone else indicated, law school is an expensive commitment, so I can relate to your concern about wanting to ensure that you find a career that allows you to be economically stable. I practiced law for about three years with a law firm and then moved into an insurance company handling professional liability claims for broker dealers and banks (and architects and engineers for a period of time). Insurance companies and businesses offer numerous "in-house" positions for attorneys or those with a law degree. Law school provides great training and development for logic and reasoning skills, oral advocacy and writing that can transfer into a lot of different senior positions. Something to consider and I wish you all the best as you continue your education and search for a career.
Isida Mici
Accountant
66
Answers
Tirana, Tirana County, Albania
Updated
Isida’s Answer
Hello Angela,
Your question is right up my alley, and you're a fantastic mentor for me, even though I focus on accounting. I've been inspired by a book called "Drive" by Daniel Pink, and I have some thoughts to share.
First, being a pessimist usually lowers what psychologists call "subjective well-being." However, pessimists often excel in law because this mindset can make them more effective.
Second, companies thrive on positive exchanges. When I sell you something you enjoy, we both benefit. In contrast, justice often involves a win-lose scenario, where one person's gain is another's loss.
Lastly, lawyers face constant demands with limited decision-making freedom. This lack of autonomy can lead to frustration, as they don't have much control over their work.
I hope these insights are helpful, and may blessing always be upon you!
Your question is right up my alley, and you're a fantastic mentor for me, even though I focus on accounting. I've been inspired by a book called "Drive" by Daniel Pink, and I have some thoughts to share.
First, being a pessimist usually lowers what psychologists call "subjective well-being." However, pessimists often excel in law because this mindset can make them more effective.
Second, companies thrive on positive exchanges. When I sell you something you enjoy, we both benefit. In contrast, justice often involves a win-lose scenario, where one person's gain is another's loss.
Lastly, lawyers face constant demands with limited decision-making freedom. This lack of autonomy can lead to frustration, as they don't have much control over their work.
I hope these insights are helpful, and may blessing always be upon you!
Amber Lee
Tax Associate
84
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Amber’s Answer
Hi Angela,
I can understand why you would consider how well-paid a job is before deciding to pursue a career in that field. It's a completely reasonable and practical thing to consider--law school is a very expensive commitment after all. To become an attorney in the U.S., you'll need to complete your bachelor's degree (typically around 4 years), and you will need to go through 3 years of law school. That's a total of 7 years of school after high school. Law school materials are not cheap either. I was easily spending more than $150 per casebook if I wasn't able to get them used. I went to a public school and received some scholarship so my tuition wasn't as astronomical as someone who went to Harvard Law School, but it was still a lot of money. Considering all that, it makes sense for one to consider what their return on investment would be before going down the path of law school.
Additionally, not all legal jobs pay the same. Just to give you an idea of the pay range, the minimum pay for a fresh grad working in the county attorney, legal defender, or public defender offices in Yuma as an Attorney I is $42.93 per hour, which translates to about $90k per year. A random search of Florida's public defender's job posting site shows $65k as the starting salary for a fresh grad--not great if you had gone to an expensive private law school that costs $150k in tuition, but probably fine if you had gone to a public school and was paying in-state tuition. In contrast, big law firms in NYC are paying their first-year associates $225k - $230k annually (not including bonus!), but big law culture is known for being quite brutal in that there is an expectation of working very long hours. This is not to say that all government legal positions are easier in comparison since a lot of government offices do suffer from lack of funding and resources, but my point is that there are many different legal positions all over the country that offer different pay structure and different work-life balance. It is possible to be extremely well-paid as a lawyer, but you just might have to sacrifice your work-life balance to achieve this. Conversely, you could have a less demanding job working for the government or a public interest group and earn an okay salary, which a lot of folks are totally fine with since it's something they're passionate about and they are likely not doing it for the money. It all comes down to what you value most in life--whether it's the experience, money, or stability--and this can change as you move from one life stage to another.
I can understand why you would consider how well-paid a job is before deciding to pursue a career in that field. It's a completely reasonable and practical thing to consider--law school is a very expensive commitment after all. To become an attorney in the U.S., you'll need to complete your bachelor's degree (typically around 4 years), and you will need to go through 3 years of law school. That's a total of 7 years of school after high school. Law school materials are not cheap either. I was easily spending more than $150 per casebook if I wasn't able to get them used. I went to a public school and received some scholarship so my tuition wasn't as astronomical as someone who went to Harvard Law School, but it was still a lot of money. Considering all that, it makes sense for one to consider what their return on investment would be before going down the path of law school.
Additionally, not all legal jobs pay the same. Just to give you an idea of the pay range, the minimum pay for a fresh grad working in the county attorney, legal defender, or public defender offices in Yuma as an Attorney I is $42.93 per hour, which translates to about $90k per year. A random search of Florida's public defender's job posting site shows $65k as the starting salary for a fresh grad--not great if you had gone to an expensive private law school that costs $150k in tuition, but probably fine if you had gone to a public school and was paying in-state tuition. In contrast, big law firms in NYC are paying their first-year associates $225k - $230k annually (not including bonus!), but big law culture is known for being quite brutal in that there is an expectation of working very long hours. This is not to say that all government legal positions are easier in comparison since a lot of government offices do suffer from lack of funding and resources, but my point is that there are many different legal positions all over the country that offer different pay structure and different work-life balance. It is possible to be extremely well-paid as a lawyer, but you just might have to sacrifice your work-life balance to achieve this. Conversely, you could have a less demanding job working for the government or a public interest group and earn an okay salary, which a lot of folks are totally fine with since it's something they're passionate about and they are likely not doing it for the money. It all comes down to what you value most in life--whether it's the experience, money, or stability--and this can change as you move from one life stage to another.
Hi Amber thank you so much for your response and for taking some of your time to answer it, thank you for the great advice 💕
Angela