2 answers
Mohammed
Student
Aurora, Colorado
1
Question
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How do I become a lawyer ?
What university do you recommend to become a lawyer? How long does it take? What is the salary like?
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2 answers
neysa day
lawyer
2
Answers
Hollywood, Florida
Updated
neysa’s Answer
Pursuing a career as a lawyer involves a lengthy educational journey, with a minimum of 7 years spent in university. Before embarking on this path, it's crucial to assess your patience, endurance, and financial capacity to handle the lengthy education. Many lawyers choose to specialize further by obtaining a postgraduate LLM degree in tax or another field, extending their education by 1-2 years. This advanced degree can boost your earning potential and make you a more attractive choice for clients with complex and profitable cases.
The law school you attend plays a significant role in your career prospects and income. Prestigious law schools boast higher bar pass rates and can help you secure interviews with top-tier, high-paying law firms. Within such firms, you could potentially earn around $250,000 within 5-7 years. On the other hand, attending a lesser-known or night school may limit your earning potential. Government positions also tend to pay less than private law firms. However, if work-life balance is important to you, avoid large law firms that often require 2,000 billable hours per year and 60-80 hours of work per week.
While attending a reputable law school may be more expensive, the increased earning potential can offset the higher costs if you manage to secure a spot in one of these institutions.
The law school you attend plays a significant role in your career prospects and income. Prestigious law schools boast higher bar pass rates and can help you secure interviews with top-tier, high-paying law firms. Within such firms, you could potentially earn around $250,000 within 5-7 years. On the other hand, attending a lesser-known or night school may limit your earning potential. Government positions also tend to pay less than private law firms. However, if work-life balance is important to you, avoid large law firms that often require 2,000 billable hours per year and 60-80 hours of work per week.
While attending a reputable law school may be more expensive, the increased earning potential can offset the higher costs if you manage to secure a spot in one of these institutions.
Steve Grothouse
In-House Attorney
2
Answers
Indianapolis, Indiana
Updated
Steve’s Answer
I completely concur with Neysa's thoughts in her response. It's undeniable that going to a renowned law school, like a T14 institution (explained here: https://www.quimbee.com/resources/law-school-tiers-101-do-law-school-rankings-matter), boosts your chances of getting an interview at a high-ranking firm. Nonetheless, this assumes that you perform well at that school. Nowadays, top firms are more inclined to interview and hire someone who ranks in the top 10-25% of a lower-ranked Tier 1 school than someone in the bottom 60% of a prestigious school. The key takeaway is to aim for the best school where you think you can excel compared to your classmates.
Financial aspects are another factor to consider, and not just your initial and potential income. Most Tier 1 law schools (and likely many law schools in general) will cost you at least $50,000 a year for full-time enrollment and personal expenses. If you plan to use student loans, this can accumulate rapidly, particularly if you have undergraduate debt and/or choose to pursue an LLM after obtaining your law degree. However, if your credentials are outstanding when applying, you might receive scholarship offers from Tier 1 schools that aren't among the most prestigious (i.e., the T14). If you're unsure about your dedication to compete at a T14 school, accepting a scholarship at a Tier 1 school where you can thrive could be the ideal solution.
Starting and potential salaries can vary significantly. Many nonprofit and public service lawyers may earn as little as $35-40,000, while a starting salary at a top law firm can reach up to $180k or higher. Partners at the very best law firms can earn over $1M a year. However, the majority of attorneys likely reach their peak in the $100k-$200k range.
Financial aspects are another factor to consider, and not just your initial and potential income. Most Tier 1 law schools (and likely many law schools in general) will cost you at least $50,000 a year for full-time enrollment and personal expenses. If you plan to use student loans, this can accumulate rapidly, particularly if you have undergraduate debt and/or choose to pursue an LLM after obtaining your law degree. However, if your credentials are outstanding when applying, you might receive scholarship offers from Tier 1 schools that aren't among the most prestigious (i.e., the T14). If you're unsure about your dedication to compete at a T14 school, accepting a scholarship at a Tier 1 school where you can thrive could be the ideal solution.
Starting and potential salaries can vary significantly. Many nonprofit and public service lawyers may earn as little as $35-40,000, while a starting salary at a top law firm can reach up to $180k or higher. Partners at the very best law firms can earn over $1M a year. However, the majority of attorneys likely reach their peak in the $100k-$200k range.