And a Happy New Year
Quite the holiday weekend.
On Saturday, Boyfriend turned 30. Handled this far better than I will.
Not one to take the day off from household duties, Boyfriend went and checked the mail. He returned with my letter from the Committee on Character and Fitness. I have (FINALLY) been recommended for admission to practice law in this friggin state. The letter made no mention of probation. Awesome. I should be an official lawyer in approximately two weeks.
Brother Electrician (not really a helpful name, because both brothers are electricians) randomly spent half the weekend at my house. This was an amazing thing, as Brother Electrician and Boyfriend have never been the best of friends. Nevertheless, the two put aside their differences and laughed and hung out. This made Lex very, very, very happy. I really want my family to get along.
Finally, and most exciting, Boyfriend's Baby Mama (BBM), randomly said she would like for Step-Son to stay with us for awhile (I think a week or two), so she can do whatever it is she needs to do. If she follows through, it will be a huge departure from the amount of time she has to legally give us with Step-Son. And perhaps a step towards more friendly and positive co-parenting between Boyfriend and BBM? (hope springs eternal). BBM has dangled such hope in front of us before though, only to rip it away without any concern for the pain it causes. Boyfriend is trying not to get his hopes up too high because he knows BBM is likely to change her mind. I know I should do the same, but I can't help but want it so badly. I'll be crushed if BBM takes this away.
I went to sleep at 10:00 New Year's Eve. I'm not one to celebrate the New Year. I haven't in a long time. Nevertheless, the year appears to be getting started in good form. Far better than last year for sure.
A few concerns (related to bar admission):
- I jumped up and down into the office with my letter this morning. I told Office Manager that I planned to ask The Boss to pay my admission fees (about $400). As I understand, that's standard practice. Office Manager gave me a strange look that made me feel she disapproved. She's been treating me sort of weird lately. Not talking to me much.
- I'm not quite sure how to go about renegotiation. I need a pretty substantial raise, but I've been out a lot sick, failed the bar once, had The Boss go on to pay for BarBri, give me 2 day weeks for 6 weeks to study, and then The Boss gave me a moving stipend in July. I don't feel right asking for more money. I wish I could work at my same salary for awhile and "show" him what I can do. But I don't have time, I've got bill collectors hounding me. I've worked for him for a year and a half at 48k and I want him to pay me somewhere around 75-85k, if not more... How do I go about getting him to do this without coming off as an arrogant asshole? The bottom line is that if he won't raise me high enough, I will be forced to seek employment at a higher paying firm. I don't want to do that, I want to stay here. The Boss has done a lot for me and been loyal. It's a favor I'd like to return. But I've got this nasty habit of wanting to keep my family fed. Please - any and all advice on how I should go about this whole raise thing will be most gratefully accepted.
UPDATE: I found this website which lists starting salaries for first year associates at some BigLaw firms in my area. They are higher than I thought. Still, keep in mind that I work for a solo practitioner that does Plaintiffs work. (Although he is admittedly ridiculously successful).
So.... what's a fair asking range folks?
On Saturday, Boyfriend turned 30. Handled this far better than I will.
Not one to take the day off from household duties, Boyfriend went and checked the mail. He returned with my letter from the Committee on Character and Fitness. I have (FINALLY) been recommended for admission to practice law in this friggin state. The letter made no mention of probation. Awesome. I should be an official lawyer in approximately two weeks.
Brother Electrician (not really a helpful name, because both brothers are electricians) randomly spent half the weekend at my house. This was an amazing thing, as Brother Electrician and Boyfriend have never been the best of friends. Nevertheless, the two put aside their differences and laughed and hung out. This made Lex very, very, very happy. I really want my family to get along.
Finally, and most exciting, Boyfriend's Baby Mama (BBM), randomly said she would like for Step-Son to stay with us for awhile (I think a week or two), so she can do whatever it is she needs to do. If she follows through, it will be a huge departure from the amount of time she has to legally give us with Step-Son. And perhaps a step towards more friendly and positive co-parenting between Boyfriend and BBM? (hope springs eternal). BBM has dangled such hope in front of us before though, only to rip it away without any concern for the pain it causes. Boyfriend is trying not to get his hopes up too high because he knows BBM is likely to change her mind. I know I should do the same, but I can't help but want it so badly. I'll be crushed if BBM takes this away.
I went to sleep at 10:00 New Year's Eve. I'm not one to celebrate the New Year. I haven't in a long time. Nevertheless, the year appears to be getting started in good form. Far better than last year for sure.
A few concerns (related to bar admission):
- I jumped up and down into the office with my letter this morning. I told Office Manager that I planned to ask The Boss to pay my admission fees (about $400). As I understand, that's standard practice. Office Manager gave me a strange look that made me feel she disapproved. She's been treating me sort of weird lately. Not talking to me much.
- I'm not quite sure how to go about renegotiation. I need a pretty substantial raise, but I've been out a lot sick, failed the bar once, had The Boss go on to pay for BarBri, give me 2 day weeks for 6 weeks to study, and then The Boss gave me a moving stipend in July. I don't feel right asking for more money. I wish I could work at my same salary for awhile and "show" him what I can do. But I don't have time, I've got bill collectors hounding me. I've worked for him for a year and a half at 48k and I want him to pay me somewhere around 75-85k, if not more... How do I go about getting him to do this without coming off as an arrogant asshole? The bottom line is that if he won't raise me high enough, I will be forced to seek employment at a higher paying firm. I don't want to do that, I want to stay here. The Boss has done a lot for me and been loyal. It's a favor I'd like to return. But I've got this nasty habit of wanting to keep my family fed. Please - any and all advice on how I should go about this whole raise thing will be most gratefully accepted.
UPDATE: I found this website which lists starting salaries for first year associates at some BigLaw firms in my area. They are higher than I thought. Still, keep in mind that I work for a solo practitioner that does Plaintiffs work. (Although he is admittedly ridiculously successful).
So.... what's a fair asking range folks?
posted by Lex Fori at
2:34 PM
5 Comments:
Congrats on passing this last hurdle!
As for the $$$, I don't really know. For solo practitioners I've heard of between $45 and $65K. $85K sounds high based on what I know, but then again the whole "ridiculously successful" thing changes the playing field.
If you're working BigLaw hours and the profits are there, I think you would be justified going for the higher range, though, maybe even up to $90.
By
The Once and Future TC, at 10:14 PM
Lex, congrats! I find it inspiring that you seem to place having stepson in a higher status than actually becoming a lawyer. I love that you have such a huge heart! I hope BBM doesn't revert to WWW...wicked witch of the West :)
As for the raise situation, I tend to agree with Tab. I did a quick averaging of the 1st year salaries that were listed at that website that you mentioned, and if you take the base average, you get, $92,428.57.
There is one firm which pays way cheap, $68K. If you take that firm out of the averaging, you get, $93,650.
If you take out the top paying firm, (there are two at $110) you get, $91,550.
Regardless of which way you go, between what you are looking for, and what the averages say, you should easily be able to come to agreement with The Boss on a fairly good salary for your first year.
Hint: You may wish to thank the Boss by taking less the first year, with a stipulation that your 2nd year raise be substantial enough to offset the lower pay the first year. Or, you could take a salary, which may seem high, yet, accept that salary for say, 2 years, or 3 years.
This is the fun part, you get to negotiate for yourself! This is not a time to get all philosophical about what is fair. It is a time to figure out what you need to get those credit hounds off of your back! Once you have passed that level, then, the philosophical part can come into play. Here is another idea. A signing bonus!
Ask Boss to Front you 30K or something like that, and you will stay at your current pay for this year, then, next year you will ask for a raise! Provided the 30K can payoff a bunch of bills, and your salary can handle the burden of the remaining bills for a year. The numbers can change, but, I think you understand what I mean.
Now is the time that you get to shout, "SHOW ME THE MONEY!"
Congrats AGAIN!
P.S. I am glad you won't be selling the piano!
By
Crazy East Coast Uncle, at 6:26 AM
Well, I'm planning to ask for a signing bonus in any event. I need to come up with about 8k within the next month or so or the credit hounds are really, really going to be on me.
The problem with the numbers on the website I listed are that those are for defense firms. Big ones. I work for a one-attorney place - it's just The Boss, and then me in a couple of weeks.
He is ridiculously successful. Everyone in town knows about him, no one wants to go up against him, and most people settle rather than have their day in court against him. Perhaps that's the way of things anyhow, but The Boss takes high-damage cases and is making PLENTY of dinero.
I would like to take the lower salary for the year - it's funny that was brought up because I literally JUST told Republican Paralegal that I would like to do that, but I can't. I need more money stat or I'm in big trouble. I'll maybe throw out the idea of staying at the same salary for a few years because really, so long as I can afford to get by, I don't need a ton of cash. I could live fine for three years on 80k.
I think the problem with all of it is that I haven't really had a chance to prove myself to The Boss. He's been waiting on me to get better and pass the bar, and then was waiting on me to get certified. It's been a year and a half of waiting for him, and I just feel like a jerk asking for anything at this point.
I don't know what this means... but Office Manager, a paralegal that has been with The Boss for about 10 years, makes 85k annually and I'm pretty sure she gets bonuses when cases settle - and she definitely gets a nice bonus at the end of the year. I don't know what the other Paralegal makes...
By
Lex Fori, at 9:47 AM
I did think your numbers sounded a bit low. Plaintiff's lawyers make money. Big punitive damage awards and all that jazz. Unless that's not the work Boss does. It also depends on the market you're in and I don't know AZ at all other than Freebird sounds like fun
Congrats on being accepted!
By
Arbusto, at 10:37 AM
Go to the website that has 1st year paralegal and see what the boss got you for in your 1 1/2 years there. That might help you make your decision. You were at least that to him if not more. You know what I think there lexie lou..
Loony Tunes Aunt
By
Anonymous, at 8:58 AM
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