Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There have to be more non-profits, contract attorneys, and attorneys not working as attorneys here. It's not all 500K and bonuses. Don't be shy!

Freelance attorney doing very part time legal research and writing from home. $65 an hour.

Nice! How do you get this sort of work?

Anonymous wrote:Small firm, 3rd year associate, billing 1600 per year, made $77k last year and $3k bonus. I think I'm underpaid!

Post your law school, GPA and class rank and we'll tell you. Oops. Sorry. Thought this was ATL for a moment.

Small firm, 3rd year associate, billing 1600 per year, made $77k last year and $3k bonus. I think I'm underpaid!

I'm a fed. paralegal and I make $85k on at my 9-5 job. I have 15 years of experience for what it's worth. I know the question was for attorneys, but I was reading out of curiosity. Sometimes I regret not going to law school and sometimes I don't. I can't imagine making as much money as some of you do - wow... I'm pretty happy with $85k for a fed. paralegal job though (btw, I'm topped out).

In house counsel at a labor union, 110k plus fully-paid family health benefits.

Anonymous wrote:I'm make under 100K in a small firm. I went to a top 10 school. I am home for dinner every night. I never work weekends. I don't measure my salary by what I bill, rather, it's just what I get paid to do my job as it varies. I like the work I do. I help people most of the time, corporations none of the time.

Way to much 'splanation Lucy. We don't believe you.

155k. Gov't atty with 18 yrs exper. Home every evening and weekend and enjoy my work. No bonus at my agency.

"Ambulance chaser."

It depends on the year, but over the last 20 years it averages out to 3 million per year.

Federal government, $136K.

Don't compare yourself, OP -- who cares? Are you happy? Do you like your work? Do you like your work-life balance? That's what affects your life, frankly.

Senior associate at biglaw -- about $300K + discretionary bonus in the $20-50K range. I have dinner with my kids every night too, but I don't think I'm making partner.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:20 hrs a week, local gov't $45 a year. I bet I make the least.

This sounds fantastic for a working mom - what locality?

Montgomery County

I'm the OP. I didn't post this to be trashy or tacky. I posted it because it's easy in a town like this to feel less-than if you're a lawyer making under 200K. I suppose I am looking for common ground, or people who have made the same decisions I have. Granted, I love my job. But given the economic downturn and a bit of previous unemployment, I am not going to be able to get a big paying or firm job for a long long time, if ever. Even if I wanted to. Anyone else in a cut throat job knows what I mean: there are so many elite lawyers in this town, if you're not one already you're not one. Those of you posting have your own reasons, but thanks nonetheless.

Anonymous wrote:There have to be more non-profits, contract attorneys, and attorneys not working as attorneys here. It's not all 500K and bonuses. Don't be shy!

Freelance attorney doing very part time legal research and writing from home. $65 an hour.