<p>tempus, you may not know this, but at many firms all the lawyers hired in the same year get paid the same amount. this is called “lockstep.” while at some firms there is also a discretionary bonus, that makes up a small percentage of the total compensation. so a lawyer’s skills, so long as they’re good enough to not get fired, often have very little to do with how much they’re paid. </p>
<p>also, you can be America’s best SEC (securities & exchange commission) lawyer or the most brilliant public defender, and you’re still not going to be paid as much as a mediocre associate at a big firm. With salaries, a lot depends on the type of organization you work for and what part of the country you work in, much more than your skills.</p>