What’s the real salary for most lawyers in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GS15 starts at about 164k and hits about 192k. The most experienced gov lawyers, at least in my agency, are at GS15 (although some never are). I think I got my 15 around year 5.

I find it really bizarre that lawyers are GS 15 so quickly. Why is this? It seems arbitrary when others in different professions that could be making a lot of money in areas outside of government do not.

I’m a GS-15. At my agency, the lawyers are frequently the only adults in the room. Most of the management side has no idea what they are doing. Legal is essentially running the agency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by the in house salaries people are quoting. My husband was in house ant a very large company and earning about $300k plus some bonuses and he actually interviewed for a couple equivalent positions and they generally offered the same or less.

Does he get RSUs? If a company is doing really well and you are getting a lot of stock, that is when your total compensation can dwarf your base salary. Also in good years, your bonus can exceed your base (it did for us this year).

His bonuses varied a lot but usually were no where near the salary. Usually more on the order of $25k

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by the in house salaries people are quoting. My husband was in house ant a very large company and earning about $300k plus some bonuses and he actually interviewed for a couple equivalent positions and they generally offered the same or less.

The salaries quoted were all in with bonuses. My base is $225k but I’m at around $350k all in with bonus and RSU. I recently spoke to a recruiter who said the market rate for my position was about $100k higher all end, so these salaries don’t surprise me.

So in-house atty rates are roughly $450K? That is higher than I thought.

Depends. Not for general corporate counsel, but for more senior in house counsel at the AGC or Deputy GC level when that entail management.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Administrative judge (federal). $204K plus &10K bonus. Rarely exceed 40 hrs per week, zero stress, fascinating work, complete control of schedule (can WFH most days), essentially no “boss” oversees my day-to-day. Sweet!

which agency pays 240 for ALJ?

$204 + $10 = $214

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by the in house salaries people are quoting. My husband was in house ant a very large company and earning about $300k plus some bonuses and he actually interviewed for a couple equivalent positions and they generally offered the same or less.

The salaries quoted were all in with bonuses. My base is $225k but I’m at around $350k all in with bonus and RSU. I recently spoke to a recruiter who said the market rate for my position was about $100k higher all end, so these salaries don’t surprise me.

So in-house atty rates are roughly $450K? That is higher than I thought.

Depends. Not for general corporate counsel, but for more senior in house counsel at the AGC or Deputy GC level when that entail management.

Yes, it kicks up when you become VP level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a solo attorney. I made $468K last year. This year I am earning a bit more so will likely be at $500K.

I am entirely overworked and do not think that I can sustain the hours that I have. I am 45 and am thinking of selling the practice off and going to government.

Have no support is really not sustainable long term. I have worked at home for the past 15 years, though, and always available for the kids.

Where is the mother of the children?

I'm confused. Nowhere did PP indicate that they were the father. It's 2024, why are you still assuming attorney=male?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a solo attorney. I made $468K last year. This year I am earning a bit more so will likely be at $500K.

I am entirely overworked and do not think that I can sustain the hours that I have. I am 45 and am thinking of selling the practice off and going to government.

Have no support is really not sustainable long term. I have worked at home for the past 15 years, though, and always available for the kids.

Where is the mother of the children?

I'm confused. Nowhere did PP indicate that they were the father. It's 2024, why are you still assuming attorney=male?

Not the lawyer part
The solo practice part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by the in house salaries people are quoting. My husband was in house ant a very large company and earning about $300k plus some bonuses and he actually interviewed for a couple equivalent positions and they generally offered the same or less.

The salaries quoted were all in with bonuses. My base is $225k but I’m at around $350k all in with bonus and RSU. I recently spoke to a recruiter who said the market rate for my position was about $100k higher all end, so these salaries don’t surprise me.

So in-house atty rates are roughly $450K? That is higher than I thought.

Depends. Not for general corporate counsel, but for more senior in house counsel at the AGC or Deputy GC level when that entail management.

Yeah I was one of the prior poster. My salary is a combination of “rank” (not GC but high), working for a giant corporation and then salary is really just a shade over $300k, it’s the bonus and equity that push it to compelling.

Lots of in-house positions pay more like $250 - 350 all in so that’s more realistic to expect out the gate for someone with experience (say 7-10 years) but no compelling hook.

Lots of layoffs in downturn btw so not for faint of heart. Keep saving hard so if you get the boot you have something to show for it.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t seen responses here from lawyers in more general practice, e.g. family law, immigration, criminal defense.

This is me at a small DC firm after about 5 years. About $175k with bonuses but have been on trend for close to 10 percent annual raises thus far. I have a ton of flexibility other than actual court hearing obligations.

Every time I see a job advertisement for similar work elsewhere, the pay offered is lower. But I’d be curious about others’ similar experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Finreg. 250k. Work an hour or two per week.

You work 2 hours a week? What do you do with the rest of the time you are chained to your desk without any work to do?

Do you seriously think that wasn't a troll?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GS15 starts at about 164k and hits about 192k. The most experienced gov lawyers, at least in my agency, are at GS15 (although some never are). I think I got my 15 around year 5.

I find it really bizarre that lawyers are GS 15 so quickly. Why is this? It seems arbitrary when others in different professions that could be making a lot of money in areas outside of government do not.

This is very agency specific. For agencies whose employees can more easily move to the private sector, lawyers (and others, like economists) are made GS-15 as soon as possible, which can be as little as a few years after starting. In other agencies, there's much less reason to do so, and it can be rare for non-supervisory employees to ever get to GS-15 (or even GS-14).

which agencies? I’m at a finreg (where there’s plenty of revolving door) and it’s well known that only FDIC regularly does non-supervisory GS-15. At our agency the only way to get that is in OGC and godspeed to them doing PRA and PIAs and FOIAs all day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Finreg. 250k. Work an hour or two per week.

Lol. I’ve had weeks/months where this is me but I find it extremely boring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Finreg. 250k. Work an hour or two per week.

You work 2 hours a week? What do you do with the rest of the time you are chained to your desk without any work to do?

Do you seriously think that wasn't a troll?

DP. It’s possible!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GS15 starts at about 164k and hits about 192k. The most experienced gov lawyers, at least in my agency, are at GS15 (although some never are). I think I got my 15 around year 5.

I find it really bizarre that lawyers are GS 15 so quickly. Why is this? It seems arbitrary when others in different professions that could be making a lot of money in areas outside of government do not.

This is very agency specific. For agencies whose employees can more easily move to the private sector, lawyers (and others, like economists) are made GS-15 as soon as possible, which can be as little as a few years after starting. In other agencies, there's much less reason to do so, and it can be rare for non-supervisory employees to ever get to GS-15 (or even GS-14).

which agencies? I’m at a finreg (where there’s plenty of revolving door) and it’s well known that only FDIC regularly does non-supervisory GS-15. At our agency the only way to get that is in OGC and godspeed to them doing PRA and PIAs and FOIAs all day.

I'm pretty sure both DOJ and FTC has many non-supervisory GS-15s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GS15 starts at about 164k and hits about 192k. The most experienced gov lawyers, at least in my agency, are at GS15 (although some never are). I think I got my 15 around year 5.

I find it really bizarre that lawyers are GS 15 so quickly. Why is this? It seems arbitrary when others in different professions that could be making a lot of money in areas outside of government do not.

This is very agency specific. For agencies whose employees can more easily move to the private sector, lawyers (and others, like economists) are made GS-15 as soon as possible, which can be as little as a few years after starting. In other agencies, there's much less reason to do so, and it can be rare for non-supervisory employees to ever get to GS-15 (or even GS-14).

which agencies? I’m at a finreg (where there’s plenty of revolving door) and it’s well known that only FDIC regularly does non-supervisory GS-15. At our agency the only way to get that is in OGC and godspeed to them doing PRA and PIAs and FOIAs all day.

None of the FinRegs are on a GS scale so this doesn't make sense.