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Topic: Expected Salary for a Solicitor in London?  (Read 1521 times)

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Expected Salary for a Solicitor in London?
« on: October 20, 2004, 09:19:11 AM »
In the US I can assume an average salary of 100,000-125,000 US dollars (55-70k british pounds) is reasonable to be making (at least from discussions with professionals in the field, despite it being in the top %s of possibility), but can I assume to make something comparable, supposing I become a US lawyer and quality and pass the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test? I'm in undergrad now (which is obviously a distance from passing law in the US and then transfering to UK) and so I'm asking questiosn early.


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Re: Expected Salary for a Solicitor in London?
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2004, 09:29:40 PM »
I'm not a solicitor (just a legal sec) but I think the fact that you're learning US law might be a problem. Different laws and stuff and you may have to get a job as a legal assistant while you go back to school to learn UK law.

I think it also depends on what kind of solicitor you plan on being. I understand there are a few different types. I found an excellent research site on this  http://www.prospects.ac.uk ( Home page > Explore types of jobs > Legal services > Solicitors) if you're interested. They talk about salary in the pages under Legal Sector.

Hope that helps.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2004, 09:32:54 PM by Ashley »
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Re: Expected Salary for a Solicitor in London?
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2004, 01:52:20 PM »
Hi Robb, it depends how much a particular law firm wants you but as a trainee solicitor here you do not get paid much at all (10-12k) but once you have completed your training and articles you can expect anything from 25k upwards depending what kind of work you are doing.


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Re: Expected Salary for a Solicitor in London?
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2004, 11:57:23 PM »
you don't need to go back to school if you get your JD, pass the bar, and have at least 2 yrs of experience. you just take the easy test called the QLTT, which makes it easier to requalify in England than in any other state in the US, since the QLTT is easier than any state bar.

however, the QLTT is uesless. why? because US firms in London (and UK firms) will only hire corporate finance lawyers with at least 1 yr experience in big New York firms, or sometimes, Ivy League grads. they won't even require you to pass the QLTT and will still pay you double what English lawyers in the same firm, with the same yrs of experience, and doing the same hours, will earn ie, 100K instead of 50K (pounds that is).

everyone else would need to take the QLTT, but there would no jobs even with that, and you're not allowed to work solo.


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Re: Expected Salary for a Solicitor in London?
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2004, 05:54:33 PM »
Hi
last year my husband was searching for a job right after he passed the BAR in California and he found that the BBC was looking for an attorney that was qualified to practice law both in California or New York and England. It didn't mention the salary.
What I know is that even here in Los Angeles the big law firms only hire people right out of law school if you are the best in your class or people with experience in an other big firm.
I don't know about salaries in London but maybe you will have more opportunities working for a company that a law firm.
This is what we are going to try since I want to go back to Europe to be close to my family in Italy.
A company will not pay you 100k but you will also work less hours. My friend's brother is a US attorney in London and he wants to change job because they make him work 80 hours a week.
Just a note: not all attorneys in the US make that much money either. My husband is working for a company with 40 lawyers and he makes just a little bit more than half that in LA. Wich isn't exactly a cheap city to live in.
Good luck to you
Marilena


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Re: Expected Salary for a Solicitor in London?
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2004, 09:24:02 PM »
Marilena


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