apprentice solicitor wages?

lawcurious · 16-10-2007 2:02pm #1

I am hoping someone can help me. I am 28 and I would like to become a solicitor. I am planning to go to Griffith college next September and do my law degree at night but will be working during the day as a Legal Sec. I have been very lucky and secured a position as a legal sec in one of the top four firms.

I want to "get on with my life" and get a mortgage and buy my first place. I am unsure though what will happen to my salary when I get my apprenticeship. Can anyone who has done this give me an idea of what to expect? (I don't want to get a mortgage based on todays earnings and then be screwed in 4 years time if my salary drastically changes.)

Many thanks for any help/comments.

Stirling · 16-10-2007 2:35pm

Hey LawCurious, think that question is a bit like "How long is a piece of string?" - your salary will completely depend on where you get your apprenticeship and the type of firm that you are working for.

I don't think getting a job as a legal secretary for one of the top four firms is quite the same thing as getting a traineeship with them - traineeships with such firms are very competitive but then again having worked with them as a secrtary could work to your advantage.

If you did manage to get a traineeship with firms your apprenticeship wages would be in the region of 30k-34k aswell as having your fees paid which is a major part of your package. On the other hand if you end up on the other end of the spectrum you could be minimum wage or sub minimum wage, not paid while you're in Blackhall and covering your own fees so budget for about an 18k loan to cover all your fees not to mind having to live and feed yourself.

Wish you the best of luck with your plans but to be honest I wouldn't be getting a mortgage right now!

besty · 16-10-2007 3:59pm

You said you have an apprenticeship with one of the top 4 (5?). On those grounds, I think I can safely agree with Stirling's estimate of €30-33k during your traineeship. I know of a couple of outliers amongst these firms butas a rough guide, I reckon that's not far off the mark.

lawcurious · 17-10-2007 2:08pm

"I know of a couple of outliers amongst these firms"

Thanks for you help Besty...but I am not sure what you mean by this!?

besty · 17-10-2007 3:19pm

Some of the firms offer a bit more or a bit less than the figures we have referred to, that's all.

laweager · 19-10-2007 10:06am

Hi. Wow that sounds exactly like my situation. I am 26 and going to Griffith College next September to study law in the evening course. I recently opted out of my previous career and am taking a month out to go to Africa. I have been offered a temporary placement at a law firm in the city, starting in January. Does anyone have any idea of salary scales for someone starting off with very little experience?? Thanks in advance

lawcurious · 19-10-2007 10:36am

will see you in griffith then!

What position do you have in a law firm? As a legal sec with no experience I have been told the starting salary is between 23-27K...

OptimisticT · 18-07-2011 10:16am

Hi All,

Can anyone advise what the likely salary is now a days for an apprentice solicitor? In a Top 5 firm, if one were lucky enough..and in a small firm?? which I am guessing is probably fairly awful if paid at all...would really like some help to figure it out!! and whether it's worth while continuing pursuing the last of the FE1's??

Any help or guidance much appreciated, negative or positive...hopefully positive ;-)

NoQuarter · 18-07-2011 10:19am

Quite simple:

Top 5; around 35k - 40k. Most are lucky to even get an interview.

Small - medium; minimum wage at best. Not sure if there is an in between.

jacko1 · 18-07-2011 2:00pm

money very good in the top 5 but you'll spend it on socisalising and dressing to impress

hard to get in - internship programmes are being used more and more as a form of preselection as well as placement programmes from University law degrees

Sala · 18-07-2011 2:26pm

Edit: Didnt realise that opening post was from 2007

shaneybaby · 18-07-2011 2:56pm

Sala wrote: »

Edit: Didnt realise that opening post was from 2007

To be fair to ye post 8 is a new one;)

Sala · 18-07-2011 3:04pm

To be fair to ye post 8 is a new one

I see that, but I had written a lovely long reply to lawcurious (post no.1) which is no longer relevant!! (And I hope to god lawcurious didn't get a mortgage in 2007!!)

johnfás · 19-07-2011 11:35pm

jacko1 wrote: »

money very good in the top 5 but you'll spend it on socisalising and dressing to impress

hard to get in - internship programmes are being used more and more as a form of preselection as well as placement programmes from University law degrees

Slightly stereotyping there!

Reloc8 · 20-07-2011 9:32pm

What, drawing sweeping generalisations between 5 law firms with similar practices ?

evercloserunion · 20-07-2011 9:49pm

I think he means the comment about spending money on socialising and dressing to impress.

J77 · 20-07-2011 11:57pm

NoQuarter wrote: »

Quite simple:

Top 5; around 35k - 40k. Most are lucky to even get an interview.

Small - medium; minimum wage at best. Not sure if there is an in between.

What are the NQ and 1,2,3 PQE salaries like these days in the big firms? NQ around 55k?

Scarlet 27 · 22-07-2011 2:22pm

I think you would be very lucky to get 55K as a NQS, I am just out of PPCII and we were told not to expect more than 30K and lot of people don't even get that.

If people are kept on in the current climate they are usually kept on what they got paid as a trainees (if below min wage they will usually get a rise up to min wage). Solicitors know we have no options as we can't travel with law (well without doing more exams and most people really can't afford the cost of that on top of the amount of money they have already spent on getting qualified) and most firms aren't keeping on their own trainees not to mention taking on new ones so we don't really have a whole lot of bargaining power.

You may get a bit more in the larger firms but I'd say maybe 40-45K and in exceptional circumstances 50K - 55K but that's maybe one or two firms in the country.

J77 · 23-07-2011 8:22pm

Scarlet 27 wrote: »

I think you would be very lucky to get 55K as a NQS, I am just out of PPCII and we were told not to expect more than 30K and lot of people don't even get that.

If people are kept on in the current climate they are usually kept on what they got paid as a trainees (if below min wage they will usually get a rise up to min wage). Solicitors know we have no options as we can't travel with law (well without doing more exams and most people really can't afford the cost of that on top of the amount of money they have already spent on getting qualified) and most firms aren't keeping on their own trainees not to mention taking on new ones so we don't really have a whole lot of bargaining power.

You may get a bit more in the larger firms but I'd say maybe 40-45K and in exceptional circumstances 50K - 55K but that's maybe one or two firms in the country.

You appear to be spot on.

http://www.brightwater.ie/salary-survey.aspx

impr0v · 24-07-2011 10:37pm

I know of one top five firm that pays NQ's 45k, and one that pays closer to 50k. The latter has also frozen the pay of NQ+1's at the same rate, which must hurt.

Some of the newer, multi-national entrants into the market pay more. I know that at least one pays NQ's 60k, and pays their trainees 48k - the highest in the country.

J77 · 26-07-2011 10:17pm

impr0v wrote: »

I know of one top five firm that pays NQ's 45k, and one that pays closer to 50k. The latter has also frozen the pay of NQ+1's at the same rate, which must hurt.

Some of the newer, multi-national entrants into the market pay more. I know that at least one pays NQ's 60k, and pays their trainees 48k - the highest in the country.

American/UK firms with offices in dublin is it? In fact, are there American firms with offices in Dublin?

Sarahaw · 27-07-2011 1:11am

there are no american law firms with irish offices...the firm which the previous post refers to is maples and calder. They pay top dollar but unless you have a particular love for securitisation work (i.e. credit default swaps, collateralised debt obligations and all that stuff) I wouldn't be rushing to apply there.

shaneybaby · 27-07-2011 9:19am

Sarahaw wrote: »

there are no american law firms with irish offices...the firm which the previous post refers to is maples and calder. They pay top dollar but unless you have a particular love for securitisation work (i.e. credit default swaps, collateralised debt obligations and all that stuff) I wouldn't be rushing to apply there.

They do some arbitration work as well. Got a lot of the partners from A&L if i remember right.

J77 · 27-07-2011 10:46am

Sarahaw wrote: »

there are no american law firms with irish offices...the firm which the previous post refers to is maples and calder. They pay top dollar but unless you have a particular love for securitisation work (i.e. credit default swaps, collateralised debt obligations and all that stuff) I wouldn't be rushing to apply there.

Certainly wouldn't get me too excited. What kind of reputation do they have for litigation?

shaneybaby · 27-07-2011 10:57am

J77 wrote: »

Certainly wouldn't get me too excited. What kind of reputation do they have for litigation?

Apparently they've got quite a few of the county councils on board so it's definitely improving. I sound like their mouthpiece but it'll probably be a "big 6" in the next few years of they keep going the way they are. Then again they've quite a few other departments to open up if they get to the size of AC etc. The salaries are supposed to be huge alright though.

J77 · 27-07-2011 11:04am

shaneybaby wrote: »

Apparently they've got quite a few of the county councils on board so it's definitely improving. I sound like their mouthpiece but it'll probably be a "big 6" in the next few years of they keep going the way they are. Then again they've quite a few other departments to open up if they get to the size of AC etc. The salaries are supposed to be huge alright though.

Had a look at their website there. Looks quite good actually. They list litigation first on the homepage so I presume they do indeed place a good emphasis on it. 30 partners in the area I think.

They also mention hedge funds and investment banking - which I'm also interested in. Website says secondments are also possible which would be a great experience as a trainee. I'll speak to them at the next Law fair but they look promising.

I'm looking more at london law firms at the moment but will still certainly apply to Irish firms. Would be dreading the year of FE1s though!

apprentice solicitor wages?

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