<p>So, I am still in my undergrad years. I know for sure that I want to go to law school. It is very expensive to live in a city like New York or Boston. I am wondering if there is some easy way to search top firms to find offices in other cities particularly for me Hartford, CT, Springfield, MA, and others are of interest (Connecticut). Would non-HQ offices still pay the same for starting attorneys? Thanks.</p>
<p>anyone???</p>
<p>Usually branch offices of firms located in less expensive cities have lower starting salaries and smaller bonuses, but this varies a bit from firm to firm.</p>
<p>I was checking on this and several firms Hartford, CT pay 160,000 starting salaries with less billable hours around 1900 or so. Is it me or does this sound pretty good compared to NYC and horrendous living expenses surrounding the area and suburbs. Hartford, CT is on par with Boston firms.</p>
<p>You can’t necessarily go by that 1900 number. There are firms that use but number, but the reality is that the associates who are successful and rewarded bill significantly higher than that. Many large firms don’t put associates in the bonus pool if they bill less than 1950-2000 hours and it goes up from there. In the last few years, many of the firms took the opportunity to even out the salaries in other cities - a decision that many are now, no doubt, regretting. For years, the national firms with offices in Baltimore paid less there. Now, they have all evened out the starting salaries there - although bonuses may still be different.</p>
<p>Several firms have a graded pay scale. Going in, you decide the range of billable hours you want, and the firm pro-rates the salary accordingly. Obviously, you can’t choose to go below a certain number, but the money is still very good and a couple hundred hours can make a big lifestyle difference. Supposedly choosing the lower track doesn’t impact partnership but the jury is still out on that.</p>
<p>Well, this is good news. Maybe the best bet would be to live with the parents and pay some rent to save money and pay off law school debt while still having a great salary. Getting an apartment anywhere near NYC would be ridiculous. I of course will be finishing my undergrad next year most likely, but I am just having some fun checking in on things. :)</p>
<p>I would strongly urge you to live as frugally as you can and save the absolute most you can to get that debt down and to preserve your options. Even if you are at a “biglaw” salary after the debt is paid off, try to never live at the top of your means - when that dream “in house” job comes along or you would like to try a smaller firm, you don’t want to be hamstrung by your expenses.</p>
<p>Seriously, gettin an apartment anywhere near NYC need not be ridiculous. Really. The problem is that most “kids” come to NYC giving themselves a week or two to find a place, usually around Labor Day. Then it’s a zoo. </p>
<p>You may have to share, but that’s not the end of the world. </p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind, is that for the time being, you pay $81 for a 30 day bus and subway pass. When you compare rents in NYC and elsewhere, factor in the cost of a car. While NYC is far from cheap, the difference isn’t as great as you might think when you factor in the cost of having a car, which is a necessity in many places.</p>
<p>“One thing to keep in mind, is that for the time being, you pay $81 for a 30 day bus and subway pass.”</p>
<p>Do avoid the indulgence of taking cabs on a regular basis. I might as well have bought a car…</p>