4 ms·

Or just work a job you don't like for a few years. I have a few lawyer friends doing that now and have tons of options open to them now they they are debt free

by anoxor 7y ago

Or just work a job you don't like for a few years. I have a few lawyer friends doing that now and have tons of options open to them now they they are debt free and have a massive income. A few made transitions to careers they liked after not liking work for a time.

jrochkind1 7y ago
It is not in fact as easy as you think, or as it used to be, to get a high-paying job out of law school, such that you can pay off your student loans ($200-300K is not unusual) in only a few years and have a 'massive income'. I know people out of law school who DO want to be lawyers, have lawyer jobs, and are struggling to keep up with their student loans. (No, they are not terrible incompetent lawyers). If you are a Harvard grad working at a top tier firm, that may not apply. But lots of people are making only $60-$70K out of law school. With huge debt. If you want to work for government or non-profit, you'll make even less. It's going to take more than 'a few years' to pay off $300K of debt like that.
- throw51319 7y ago
  Wow 70k, that is much lower than I thought. What's the salary trajectory for them? Like 3-5 years into the job?
  - heavyset_go 7y ago
    If you think 70k is low, I know people who went to law school and make much less.
  - meddlepal 7y ago
    If you're not on partner track at a good firm it doesn't grow that quickly. The friends and family I have that are lawyers and are 5 years and some change out have not cracked 100k yet except for one.
    - jrochkind1 7y ago
      Even "partner track at a good firm" isn't what it used to be. I think this article was on the HN front page at some point. https://www.wsj.com/articles/being-a-law-firm-partner-was-once-a-job-for-life-that-culture-is-all-but-dead-11565362437 https://www.wsj.com/articles/being-a-law-firm-partner-was-on... (Yes, yes, I know, that article begins with talking about 'second-class' partners who "can expect to make $800,000 at most" [at the top of their careers], I know, $800K is HUGE MONEY, that's still a top tier law firm and NOT anything like median lawyer salaries,that's not the reason I suggest the article. Check it out though, it'll surprise you if you still have a model of legal careers that's an idealized version of a couple decades ago)
  - geodel 7y ago
    It's pretty well known, lawyers' salary is bimodal. Most will make 60-70K while about 15% or so will start with 180K or above [1]. IMO those who start with 60K are more or less set for low end career which don't make for flashy legal shows on TV. 1. https://abovethelaw.com/2018/06/the-most-important-chart-in-the-legal-industry-and-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-law/ https://abovethelaw.com/2018/06/the-most-important-chart-in-...
    - ianai 7y ago
      How do they secure a top 15% career? Know somebody?
      - wutbrodo 7y ago
        Usually, it means graduating from a top school.
    - throw51319 7y ago
      So it's really just like software engineers, or maybe even slightly more bimodal? At least with soft engr you can switch modes fairly easily.

by anoxor 7y ago

jrochkind1 7y ago

It is not in fact as easy as you think, or as it used to be, to get a high-paying job out of law school, such that you can pay off your student loans ($200-300K is not unusual) in only a few years and have a 'massive income'. I know people out of law school who DO want to be lawyers, have lawyer jobs, and are struggling to keep up with their student loans. (No, they are not terrible incompetent lawyers). If you are a Harvard grad working at a top tier firm, that may not apply. But lots of people are making only $60-$70K out of law school. With huge debt. If you want to work for government or non-profit, you'll make even less. It's going to take more than 'a few years' to pay off $300K of debt like that.

throw51319 7y ago
Wow 70k, that is much lower than I thought. What's the salary trajectory for them? Like 3-5 years into the job?
- heavyset_go 7y ago
  If you think 70k is low, I know people who went to law school and make much less.
- meddlepal 7y ago
  If you're not on partner track at a good firm it doesn't grow that quickly. The friends and family I have that are lawyers and are 5 years and some change out have not cracked 100k yet except for one.
  - jrochkind1 7y ago
    Even "partner track at a good firm" isn't what it used to be. I think this article was on the HN front page at some point. https://www.wsj.com/articles/being-a-law-firm-partner-was-once-a-job-for-life-that-culture-is-all-but-dead-11565362437 https://www.wsj.com/articles/being-a-law-firm-partner-was-on... (Yes, yes, I know, that article begins with talking about 'second-class' partners who "can expect to make $800,000 at most" [at the top of their careers], I know, $800K is HUGE MONEY, that's still a top tier law firm and NOT anything like median lawyer salaries,that's not the reason I suggest the article. Check it out though, it'll surprise you if you still have a model of legal careers that's an idealized version of a couple decades ago)
- geodel 7y ago
  It's pretty well known, lawyers' salary is bimodal. Most will make 60-70K while about 15% or so will start with 180K or above [1]. IMO those who start with 60K are more or less set for low end career which don't make for flashy legal shows on TV. 1. https://abovethelaw.com/2018/06/the-most-important-chart-in-the-legal-industry-and-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-law/ https://abovethelaw.com/2018/06/the-most-important-chart-in-...
  - ianai 7y ago
    How do they secure a top 15% career? Know somebody?
    - wutbrodo 7y ago
      Usually, it means graduating from a top school.
  - throw51319 7y ago
    So it's really just like software engineers, or maybe even slightly more bimodal? At least with soft engr you can switch modes fairly easily.