Am I underpaid? I live in a low cost of living state and earn $78k as a third-year associate. I work at a mid-size ID firm and my yearly billable hour requirement is 1775 hours. I get a 10% bonus if I meet the requirement. No amazing perks or benefits, and it is fully in-person. Just trying to temper my expectations as I search for a new role.

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Yes you’re underpaid. This is essentially legal slave labor. For context, the paralegals at my office make more than that with lower billable requirements.

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Wow, I was saying to myself that it feels like slave labor, especially with all of the micromanaging and toxicity.

This is the least amount of money I have ever heard of lawyer in private practice being paid. I started at $140 at a midsize law firm 10 years ago.

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Idaho is special. I can say that. I live here.

That is low even for some paralegals.

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I know everyone is saying it’s low but my understanding is comp should be close to 1/3 of (hourly rate x billable requirement). In your case that’s approximately $88k..which is around what you make with bonus. HOWEVER, your hourly rate is incredibly low because you’re at an ID firm. You can make a lot more in a different area or larger shop.

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If it makes you feel any better, I was at a very large ID firm and started at $90k. 2000 billable requirement, but not eligible for bonuses until 2050 hours, and 90% realization rate. I left in my second year for $135k. I'm a 4th year at $175k base. My bonus last year was $60k though.

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Yes, I was making $65k right out of undergrad with a 5k bonus working a 9-5 chill desk job. That was 10 years ago.

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If your instinct is telling that you are ,so you are underpaid

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Woof 🦴

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I work at a large firm and I make $72k.

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What’s your hourly rate?

$150 per hour is extremely low even for ID work.

The margins aren’t there and you will never make a good salary at your current firm. Economics are working against you.

My plumber billed me 200 per hour recently.

What’s your billed out rate and percent collected?

Why would you even take that offer? I had bad grades and didn’t go to a top school and I rejected my first offer for $95k and ended up at $125k as a first year. Went in house as a fourth year at $185k base with a 20% bonus. Crazy.

I took the offer because I was coming from an extremely toxic boutique law firm where I was making even less, without a bonus structure. It was essentially an act of desperation. I am no longer desperate, so I’ve been interviewing.

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Yes.

That’s low. I was making 78k in house back in 2010 now at 140k at large firm

I'm an attorney 10 years out living in Boise. I would say that is pretty low for the number of billable hours expected of you. I used to work at Legal Aid, and they are starting their first years at $70k, so seems a bit on the low end. Feel free to hit me up if you want to talk a bit more about this, maybe try to message me on this thing and we can exchange info?

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