(Time sensitive) Negotiating low first year lawyer salary

[Anonymous]

(Really sorry I prematurely hit the submit button, please delete my other thread.)

I am articling and my firm, a mid sized boutique firm, has offered to hire all of us students back. I find the salary offered to be low (for what it is). I know for a fact (I saw a document) that the first year associates are being paid $20,000 more than what we were offered to come back as first year lawyers. I want to be paid at least the rate that the first year associates are currently being paid (or, obviously, more, who wouldn’t).

I do not have a ton of time to make this decision and I am trying to determine the market salary for first year lawyers in my area of law. Objectively, there is a significant need for junior lawyers in this area right now but I know that that doesn’t necessarily mean a firm would be willing to pay a high salary for them. I do think the firm needs us and that we have some leverage, but not that much. 

As far as I know, the other students want to negotiate as well. 

My questions are:

1. Will my firm be annoyed that I am negotiating? Or did my firm offer a shitty salary in anticipation of us negotiating?

2. I’ve looked at tips for how to negotiate salary but does anyone have specific tips for law and how to negotiate with a boutique mid sized firm? I specifically want to land at, at least, the salary that the first year lawyers are being paid. I believe the partners that I’ve worked with like me. My reviews were positive but maybe the other students’ reviews were just as positive. As an articling student, I don’t have a ton of work experience. Would I cite the work I did during articling and maybe even law school? What would be effective?

3. What should I avoid saying/doing during the negotiation process? For example, should I avoid asking for a salary that is higher than what the first year associates are offered? Should I say that I know what the first year associates are being paid? Etc.

Thank you in advance. 

[123]

11 hours ago, Guest Anonymous said:

Would I cite the work I did during articling and maybe even law school? What would be effective?

Don’t they know the work that you did as an articling student? I assume that they already like your work, or they wouldn’t be offering to bring you back.

To me, leverage in pay negotiations comes more from whether (a) you’re willing to leave, (b) you could get more elsewhere, and (c) it will cost them more to replace you than give you a raise. If you’re prepared to leave, then yeah, I think you can afford to be pretty direct. If you’re probably staying anyway, then by all means ask and make the pitch about your value. But you’ve basically said that it doesn’t seem like the market will guarantee your desired salary. And if that’s the case, your firm may know that too, in which case I’d be prepared for them to say no to your ask. 

[PzabbytheLawyer]

If it's sufficient for now, since you're a fresh call, I would try to negotiate more and if you can't get more, negotiate other matters which are important to you (target, bonus structure, files).

As a fresh call, your market is complete crap, generally. I would stay a year, and if the pay doesn't come up to market, explore options then with a year of associate experience under your belt.

[Anonymous]

As an update, I asked for $25,000 more than what I was offered ($5,000 more than what current first year lawyers are receiving, I wasn’t gutsy to ask for more unfortunately). The firm offered me what I asked and I have accepted. I am shocked and elated. Squeaky wheel does get the fucking oil.  

I strongly recommend, if you think the circumstances are right, to negotiate your salary even for first year call salary. I was petrified of asking for more. From what I was told, the other students who wanted to negotiate backed off (again, this is only what I was told). If you decide not to negotiate your salary, do not let it be because you were afraid (with nothing more). Don’t lie to yourself and say that you’re “too stressed” with work or “you don’t care”, which might be your fear dressed up as a convenient excuse not to do what you should.

The extra $25,000 (pre-tax of course) will make such a difference to me. I come from modest means and I have student debt. I am also a woman and this is likely to positively affect my earnings over my lifetime.

If you want to negotiate your salary on a job offer, do not let fear hold you back. 

[123]

Congrats!

[tiktok]

Congrats, that's amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also a bit gross that they lowballed at first. 

[PzabbytheLawyer]

25,000 is a significant sum. Well done.

I'm looking forward to what you negotiate for your clients, now 🙂

[anontofu]

Would you mind sharing your area of practice and how much you were offered as a junior? I'm trying to get a better grasp of the average salary being offered for first year calls at boutique firms. 

[PzabbytheLawyer]

On 4/21/2023 at 6:51 AM, anontofu said:

Would you mind sharing your area of practice and how much you were offered as a junior? I'm trying to get a better grasp of the average salary being offered for first year calls at boutique firms. 

It varies on area of law, city, size of firm, reputation of firm. It's really not a sufficient question on its own.