Skaddenfreude: Some Solo and Small Firm Salaries

Recently we asked you for compensation information about solo practitioners and lawyers at small law firms. We didn’t get terribly much (and we’d happily publish more should we receive it; submissions guidelines here).
But we’re happy to share with you the few nuggets we did receive. Here goes:

(1) associate, at a general practice firm with fewer than a dozen lawyers, in a small city, class of 2006: $33,000;

(2) solo practitioner, specializing in divorce, child custody, and some bankruptcy work, in a small city: $65,000;

(3) of counsel, at a firm with fewer than 15 lawyers, in a small city, specializing in complex litigation and appellate practice, class of 1996: $112,500 (incl. bonus; billable requirement of 1800 hours);

(4) associate, at a very small firm (under five lawyers) in a midsize city, specializing in environmental litigation (“on the treehugger side”), class of 2004: $65,000 (no bonuses; official billable requirement of around 1750 hours, but not enforced vigorously; average work day from 9:00 to 6:30); and

(5) associate, at a small law firm in a large city, specializing in litigation and insurance defense, class of 2004: $70,000 (1900 billable hours).

That’s depressing: billing 1900 hours a year, for under $75,000. Biglaw associates, count your blessings — all 145,000 of them.
Earlier: Skaddenfreude: Solo Practitioners and Small Firm Lawyers, Please
Skaddenfreude: Totally Gauche Ogling of Other Lawyers’ Incomes

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