More Extreme Low-Paying Lawyer Jobs!!!

We need some kind of designation to separate these jobs from the below-market-but-not-yet-insulting jobs

Stop it South Carolina. Okay, not like everyone in South Carolina, but based on the tips we keep on getting it appears to be one of the worst markets for contract attorneys. This is not the first time the Palmetto State has been featured as one of the worst jobs, and I fear it won’t be the last. Once there are a few bad jobs (particularly as “bad” relates to wages) in a regional market it can trigger an avalanche effect and even staffing agencies and vendors that used to consistently offer projects above the market rate start to heed the downward market pressure.

And I know exactly how it happens…

None of these things happen in a vacuum, and particularly in the age of internet access, tons of wage information is out there. Now, this can be a good thing as it allows new contract attorneys to better understand the market and make informed decisions about which projects to take. But there is a seedier side too. I’ve known project managers to register with rival agencies just to find out about their upcoming projects. Or they stalk The Posse List to see what other “opportunities” exist in the market. Then they stumble across a listing for a job paying $10 less an hour.

“Hmm,” they wonder. “Can we staff our next case at that rate?” They try it, see no discernible decrease in quality (hell, half the reviewers are likely the same ones staffed on their last, higher paying project), and their profit margins see an uptick.

It starts getting more and more competitive for jobs at the old rate you used to take for granted. Then Sally Mae comes knocking. You are feeling the financial pressure and decide to take the lower paying job, even though you promised yourself you never would.

That seems to be what is happening in South Carolina at the low rate of $8 an hour. Barely above minimum wage. But don’t worry, the position promises outstanding legal experience.

Sponsored

 We specialize in wills, trusts and probate and will train the Law Clerk in these fields. However, the Law Clerk (just like the attorneys) do a good bit of legal data entry, answer the phones, and help the clients with coffee, etc. Because this is a temporary law clerk position, we pay $8.00 per hour. This particular Law Clerk will also work closely with our attorneys and gain terrific legal experience.

Yay. Data entry and getting coffee. That is definitely better than working for more money at Costco. I guess because you can put it on your résumé? That’s probably worth not getting a living wage.

There isn’t much left to say about this recent spate of not-quite-minimum-wage jobs. It is still outrageous that there are actual employers out there expecting to hire law school grads for the same rate you’d hire high school students. I intend to keep writing about all of these extreme low-paying (we need some kind of designation to separate these jobs from the below-market-but-not-yet-insulting jobs) jobs as long as they keep on happening. Lawyers should not have to consider a job in retail in order to make more money than the contract attorney jobs out there.

Read the full posting on the next page.

Sponsored