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How much does the average lawyer make?

On October 21, 2008 / By Real Estate Law Help / In Real-Estate-Lawyers

I am talking about in Chicago, IL with average grades at an average law school. How much can one expect to make when they get out? I am probably leaning toward real estate law.

7 Responses to “How much does the average lawyer make?”

  1. Darkcloud said:

    Feb 01, 09 at 6:06 am

    To much

  2. brandyt3747 said:

    Feb 03, 09 at 10:48 pm

    75-125.00 per hr.

  3. kapn said:

    Feb 04, 09 at 5:59 am

    Depends on how hard you want to work………

  4. blktan24 said:

    Feb 04, 09 at 11:47 am

    about 50k a year.

  5. sanderst1320 said:

    Feb 04, 09 at 11:53 pm

    In law it all depends on how hard you want to work. As an associate, you are paid by clients based on the number of hours you work per month plus a base salary depending on the firm you are working for.

    The amount a lawyer can bill goes up proportionally with how long you have been in practice. Starting associates can bill anywhere from $150 up to $325 an hour depending on the location, the type of firm, and the type of law. More experienced lawyers can bill from $400 up to $700 an hour.

    The grades you get in law school are important, but for real estate law it’s really based more on how much you are willing to work. There are lawyers who clock in and out from 9-5 and never work weekends–and they don’t make very much.

    There are lawyers who kill themselves, take on many many cases, work late nights and weekends and bill over 300 hours a month.

    Also, you can work for a large firm as an associate and become an income partner or an equity partner and share in the profits of the firm eventually, or you can build your own practice which will require you to run an entire business in addition to your law practice. This is a TON of work, but it also means you keep all the profits for yourself.

    As a lawyer, you can make as much or as little as you want to make based upon how hard you are willing to work.

    Minimum for a full time lawyer is probably 80-100k, with the ceiling for real estate law probably around 1-1.5 million.

    When you first get out of law school, I’d say you’ll start by making upwards of 60-70k, and then go up from there depending entirely upon your drive.

  6. V_T_V_RAM said:

    Feb 06, 09 at 3:41 am

    Sky is the limit for earning by a lawyer !!
    However , an ordinary lawyer after one year internship can hope to make 75 k

  7. michr said:

    Feb 06, 09 at 1:30 pm

    In May 2006, the median annual earnings of all wage-and-salaried lawyers were $102,470. The middle half of the occupation earned between $69,910 and $145,600. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of lawyers in May 2006 were:

    Management of companies and enterprises $128,610
    Federal Government 119,240
    Legal services 108,100
    Local government 78,810
    State government 75,840

    Salaries of experienced attorneys vary widely according to the type, size, and location of their employer. Lawyers who own their own practices usually earn less than those who are partners in law firms. Lawyers starting their own practice may need to work part time in other occupations to supplement their income until their practice is well established.

    for more info such as:

    Nature of the Work
    Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
    Employment
    Job Outlook
    Earnings
    Related Occupations

    try this site
    U.S. Department of Labor
    Bureau of Labor Statistics
    Occupational Outlook Handbook
    http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos053.htm


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