5 answers
Maggie
Student
Black Diamond, Washington
1
Question
Asked
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What is the absolute best paying lawyer job become an attorney
What is the absolute best paying lawyer job and how do I get there? I want to become an attourney or a game designer which are both very different fields to go down.
5 answers
James Niewiara
General Counsel
1
Answer
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
James’s Answer
You've already received some thoughtful responses, but I'd reiterate that if your primary goal is to determine the most lucrative law field, it might be worth taking a moment to seriously consider if a law degree is the right path for you.
Sure, there are numerous routes to financial prosperity after securing a law degree, including some unexpected ones. However, pursuing a law degree, even in a typically high-paying field such as corporate/M&A practice, doesn't guarantee you'll make a fortune.
Getting a law degree involves completing an undergraduate degree and then three more years in law school. To increase your chances of securing a job in a highly profitable field, you'll want to study hard and maximize your chances of being admitted into a top-tier university. Once admitted, you'll need to excel academically and participate in extracurricular activities. After that, you'll need to work hard to gain admission into the best law school you can. And once admitted, you'll need to work very hard to achieve academic success there too. Unfortunately, the reality is that most of the top tier law firms that pay top dollar will seldom even consider you if you have an average (or worse) academic record and/or come from a lesser known or less prestigious university.
Next, if your focus is truly maximum pay, you'll probably want to position yourself to receive an offer from one of the leading high-paying law firms, usually located in New York or other major business centers in the U.S. Be ready to dedicate many years to working long hours once you secure that offer.
In short, it's not an easy journey, and it's one that should only be embarked upon if you're truly passionate about a legal career. On the bright side, a law degree can open doors to other rewarding careers that offer a different blend of work-life balance and compensation.
Who knows, you might become an exceptional M&A lawyer someday and earn a substantial income. The key is to thoroughly research and understand what's involved before investing heavily in a law degree. Best of luck!
Sure, there are numerous routes to financial prosperity after securing a law degree, including some unexpected ones. However, pursuing a law degree, even in a typically high-paying field such as corporate/M&A practice, doesn't guarantee you'll make a fortune.
Getting a law degree involves completing an undergraduate degree and then three more years in law school. To increase your chances of securing a job in a highly profitable field, you'll want to study hard and maximize your chances of being admitted into a top-tier university. Once admitted, you'll need to excel academically and participate in extracurricular activities. After that, you'll need to work hard to gain admission into the best law school you can. And once admitted, you'll need to work very hard to achieve academic success there too. Unfortunately, the reality is that most of the top tier law firms that pay top dollar will seldom even consider you if you have an average (or worse) academic record and/or come from a lesser known or less prestigious university.
Next, if your focus is truly maximum pay, you'll probably want to position yourself to receive an offer from one of the leading high-paying law firms, usually located in New York or other major business centers in the U.S. Be ready to dedicate many years to working long hours once you secure that offer.
In short, it's not an easy journey, and it's one that should only be embarked upon if you're truly passionate about a legal career. On the bright side, a law degree can open doors to other rewarding careers that offer a different blend of work-life balance and compensation.
Who knows, you might become an exceptional M&A lawyer someday and earn a substantial income. The key is to thoroughly research and understand what's involved before investing heavily in a law degree. Best of luck!
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity => Self-Actualization.
6183
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Dear Maggie,
The most lucrative legal career is that of a corporate lawyer with a focus on mergers and acquisitions. These professionals are highly sought after and can earn substantial incomes, often surpassing $1 million annually. To embark on this career path, you need to first earn a bachelor's degree in any discipline, then pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and finally acquire a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
After law school, you'll need to clear the bar exam in the state where you plan to practice. Once you're licensed, you can begin your job hunt, focusing on law firms that specialize in mergers and acquisitions. Remember, a successful corporate lawyer combines legal expertise, business savvy, and exceptional communication skills.
If you're also contemplating a career in game design, consider pursuing a degree in computer science or a similar field, and gaining experience with game development software and tools. You can initiate this by designing your own games as a pastime, and then explore job openings at game development studios or publishing companies.
To further aid your understanding, here are three highly recommended reference books:
1. "The Corporate Lawyer's Guide to Mergers and Acquisitions" by David F. Freeman and James C. Foster
2. "The Game Designer's Handbook" by Jesse Schell
3. "The Art of Game Design" by Jesse Schell
These books offer in-depth insights into the legal and design aspects of mergers and acquisitions, and game design and development. They are well-respected in their respective fields and can provide you with a more profound comprehension of the subjects you're keen on.
The most lucrative legal career is that of a corporate lawyer with a focus on mergers and acquisitions. These professionals are highly sought after and can earn substantial incomes, often surpassing $1 million annually. To embark on this career path, you need to first earn a bachelor's degree in any discipline, then pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and finally acquire a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
After law school, you'll need to clear the bar exam in the state where you plan to practice. Once you're licensed, you can begin your job hunt, focusing on law firms that specialize in mergers and acquisitions. Remember, a successful corporate lawyer combines legal expertise, business savvy, and exceptional communication skills.
If you're also contemplating a career in game design, consider pursuing a degree in computer science or a similar field, and gaining experience with game development software and tools. You can initiate this by designing your own games as a pastime, and then explore job openings at game development studios or publishing companies.
To further aid your understanding, here are three highly recommended reference books:
1. "The Corporate Lawyer's Guide to Mergers and Acquisitions" by David F. Freeman and James C. Foster
2. "The Game Designer's Handbook" by Jesse Schell
3. "The Art of Game Design" by Jesse Schell
These books offer in-depth insights into the legal and design aspects of mergers and acquisitions, and game design and development. They are well-respected in their respective fields and can provide you with a more profound comprehension of the subjects you're keen on.
John Yu
Management consulting
2
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
John’s Answer
Hey Maggie, this is an interesting question. Broadly speaking, the wealthiest lawyers will probably have done something outside of the legal field to get to where they are. Let me explain.
Best example will probably be someone like Peter Thiel. He was a lawyer (for a very short time), and then he left to found his own startup (PayPal). There are many other examples out there, but the point is that you will usually need to transition into doing something more risky (but with a higher payout).
Now, if you want to stay in the legal field and make big bucks, then the absolute biggest payoff I can think of would be to follow the steps of someone like Joe Jamail (the "King of Torts"), but his path is very unique and isn't highly replicable in my opinion. For most people, the usual path to making a lot of green would be to go to law school (ideally to one that is a T14, or a top 14 law school, since they will offer you the best prospects of landing a job), join what is known as a BigLaw firm (i.e., law firms with a large number of attorneys and diversified revenue sources), and try to make partner (all in all, including law school, this will be a 10+ year process). From there, if you become a dealmaker, it should ensure that you will be making a few million (or tens of millions, depending on the economic climate) every year. An order of magnitude smaller than what folks like Joe Jamail would bring in, but it is somewhat easier to achieve.
Hope this helps!
Best example will probably be someone like Peter Thiel. He was a lawyer (for a very short time), and then he left to found his own startup (PayPal). There are many other examples out there, but the point is that you will usually need to transition into doing something more risky (but with a higher payout).
Now, if you want to stay in the legal field and make big bucks, then the absolute biggest payoff I can think of would be to follow the steps of someone like Joe Jamail (the "King of Torts"), but his path is very unique and isn't highly replicable in my opinion. For most people, the usual path to making a lot of green would be to go to law school (ideally to one that is a T14, or a top 14 law school, since they will offer you the best prospects of landing a job), join what is known as a BigLaw firm (i.e., law firms with a large number of attorneys and diversified revenue sources), and try to make partner (all in all, including law school, this will be a 10+ year process). From there, if you become a dealmaker, it should ensure that you will be making a few million (or tens of millions, depending on the economic climate) every year. An order of magnitude smaller than what folks like Joe Jamail would bring in, but it is somewhat easier to achieve.
Hope this helps!
Eleanor Maria (Ria) Farrell Schalnat
Open Source Program Manager
8
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Eleanor Maria (Ria)’s Answer
I wholeheartedly agree with all the previous suggestions and want to add that it's crucial to follow your heart. Whether you're still studying or planning to enter the professional world, remember that your path is yours to shape. You might find it beneficial to sit in on a law school class to see if it aligns with your interests. Alternatively, you could blend your love for game design with law, becoming a tech-savvy lawyer specializing in contracts, copyrights, trademarks, and more. Remember, the choices you make now aren't set in stone. You could start as a game designer and then switch to law school down the line, or the other way around. Just remember to live within your means to ensure you always have options. Avoid the allure of the "golden handcuffs" and keep your future open.
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1879
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Maggie !
Your question has a lot of implications and I want to give you some accurate, experienced but general advice for what you've asked. You want to be a lawyer with the intention of making the most money possible as a lawyer. I would advise that you reassess your reasons for wanting to go into this filed of work. Like all other careers, the field of law requires intensive study, a variety of superb, sharp skills and the strong desire to assist people in situations that require strong advocacy and knowledge of cases and the law. That being said, maybe I can shed some light upon the outlook of monetary gain which would apply to any career.
You can ask many various attorneys what their salaries are. You can research statistics about lowest and highest paying lawyer types. You can hear many things about the money. The truth is, none of it will be what you will end up making. You are concerned about your own salary and to hear what others are making sets you up to believe something that may eventually be a barrier or disappoint you. The only way you will know how much you will make is when you get offers from employers and you accept one of the offers. It is about a seven year road towards becoming an attorney and surely no one now can tell you how much you will make when they do not know which agency or company you would work at. Salary is established once an employer chooses you. It would be up to you to except or decline the offer of a salary, so there's no one way really to tell.
It also may depend on where you work. If a company is well off financially, you could be paid a lot. If it is a small place, maybe not so much. The issue of how much money will result from many years of intensive study is a common one, but my advice is to examine your influences that lead you straight from the word "attorney" to the words "lots of money". You can make a good living if your desire is to help and assist people. The work should be most of the satisfaction. I understand that many future professionals may worry about the money because they only want to be successful and survive day to day with future financial commitments. But for right now, it's best to get a very realistic view of what you'll need to do to pass the Bar Exam and actually be a lawyer.
While you are in Law School, you will study various types of Law and have a network of people that will share their experiences and information with you. It's not until than that you can decide where your calling is, what type of law, and where you'd like to work. Not which pays the most. Your abilities, passion for helping people and strong interest in the law should start to be what inspires you. If you have money as the prime motivator for becoming an attorney, the important aspects of your journey may suffer.
I care that you take the right track, intellectually, emotionally and professionally. It is truly fine to wonder, but no one can really say a prediction about salary because it depends on your location, the company that hires you, your experience, and whether or not you have one full time job or a few contract positions.
I hope that you continue with your wonderful interest in law. It is truly a needed career and usually a very satisfying and worthwhile career from what lawyers tell me ! Best wishes to you in all you do !
Your question has a lot of implications and I want to give you some accurate, experienced but general advice for what you've asked. You want to be a lawyer with the intention of making the most money possible as a lawyer. I would advise that you reassess your reasons for wanting to go into this filed of work. Like all other careers, the field of law requires intensive study, a variety of superb, sharp skills and the strong desire to assist people in situations that require strong advocacy and knowledge of cases and the law. That being said, maybe I can shed some light upon the outlook of monetary gain which would apply to any career.
You can ask many various attorneys what their salaries are. You can research statistics about lowest and highest paying lawyer types. You can hear many things about the money. The truth is, none of it will be what you will end up making. You are concerned about your own salary and to hear what others are making sets you up to believe something that may eventually be a barrier or disappoint you. The only way you will know how much you will make is when you get offers from employers and you accept one of the offers. It is about a seven year road towards becoming an attorney and surely no one now can tell you how much you will make when they do not know which agency or company you would work at. Salary is established once an employer chooses you. It would be up to you to except or decline the offer of a salary, so there's no one way really to tell.
It also may depend on where you work. If a company is well off financially, you could be paid a lot. If it is a small place, maybe not so much. The issue of how much money will result from many years of intensive study is a common one, but my advice is to examine your influences that lead you straight from the word "attorney" to the words "lots of money". You can make a good living if your desire is to help and assist people. The work should be most of the satisfaction. I understand that many future professionals may worry about the money because they only want to be successful and survive day to day with future financial commitments. But for right now, it's best to get a very realistic view of what you'll need to do to pass the Bar Exam and actually be a lawyer.
While you are in Law School, you will study various types of Law and have a network of people that will share their experiences and information with you. It's not until than that you can decide where your calling is, what type of law, and where you'd like to work. Not which pays the most. Your abilities, passion for helping people and strong interest in the law should start to be what inspires you. If you have money as the prime motivator for becoming an attorney, the important aspects of your journey may suffer.
I care that you take the right track, intellectually, emotionally and professionally. It is truly fine to wonder, but no one can really say a prediction about salary because it depends on your location, the company that hires you, your experience, and whether or not you have one full time job or a few contract positions.
I hope that you continue with your wonderful interest in law. It is truly a needed career and usually a very satisfying and worthwhile career from what lawyers tell me ! Best wishes to you in all you do !
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