do you regret going to law school

[tempus]

<p>

@stacy

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>I know about lockstep. However, at least from my experience (one source being a biglaw partner in my nuclear family), after lockstep (typically temporary), other factors prevail, one being skills. For example, assuming you are being billed by the amount of work you do (via work diary) and the number of clients you bring in, salary can be highly variable.</p>

<p>

@stacy

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>

<p>The bolded part above is definitely true. However, ceterus paribus, skills still factor in to some degree, moreso in some countries and/or organizations than others. This we should be able to agree on.</p>