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Non-Law Firm Attorneys Make Up To $600,000+Compensation of Legal & Related Jobs (Non-Law Firms), 24th EditionPUBLISHED: November 2002 Summary of the three-volume, 756-page Compensation of Legal & Related Jobs (Non-Law Firms), 24th Edition survey report of numerous benchmark jobs from Abbott, Langer & Associates, Inc. The following describes the highest and lowest paid job characteristics, the national median total cash compensation for more than 14 benchmark jobs, and the factors affecting salary (Geographic Location, Type of Employer, Number of Attorneys, Number of Employees, Fiscal Size of Organization, Education, Experience/Age/Year of JD/LLB, Field of Specialization, Supervisory/Managerial Responsibility, and Job Function).
Help our next Legal salary survey Attorneys outside of law firms have a median base annual salary of $125,000, and a mean base annual salary of $134,319. Their median total annual cash compensation (salary plus cash bonuses and/or cash profit sharing) is $142,814, while the mean cash compensation is $159,048. However, 10% of these attorneys have a total annual cash compensation of $264,116 or more, with a few making over $600,000. Toward the other end of the spectrum, 10% of these attorneys have a total annual income of $71,206 or less.
These are some of the findings of a recent survey of 781 law department employees in 120 organizations. Copies of the complete three-volume, 756-page survey report entitled Compensation in Legal & Related Jobs (Non-Law Firms), 24th Edition are available for $995.00 through our On-Line Order Form or from Abbott, Langer & Associates, Inc., Dept. NET, 548 First St., Crete IL 60417 (telephone 708/672-4200; fax 708/672-4674). Each volume (Part I - supervisory/managerial attorneys; Part II - non-supervisory attorneys; and Part III - specialty administrators, legal administrators, paralegals, and legal secretaries) is available for $350.00. Geographic Location In aggregate, the highest median incomes reported for attorneys this year were in: Denver/Colorado Springs ($198,163); Cleveland ($186,622); San Jose ($175,000); New York City ($172,227); Houston ($165,100); San Francisco/Oakland ($164,750); Washington, DC/MD/VA ($161,087); Boston ($160,500); Hartford ($160,088); Sacramento ($158,828); and Minneapolis/St. Paul ($157,929); and outside the metropolitan areas studied in Wisconsin ($200,000); New Jersey ($161,050); Ohio ($158,860); and South Carolina ($151,000). The lowest median incomes were found in El Paso ($66,745); Atlanta ($88,000); Portland, OR ($90,300); Memphis ($90,300); Topeka ($100,000); Tampa/St. Petersburg ($112,500); and Seattle/Everett ($120,000); and outside the metropolitan areas studied in Iowa ($82,700) and Georgia ($88,000). The remaining metropolitan areas surveyed had median incomes ranging from $124,500 to $157,857. Naturally, these figures change significantly when consideration is given simultaneously to such demographic variables as job level, supervisory responsibility, type and size of employer, length of experience, functional area, etc. Type of Employer Attorneys employed by manufacturing/extractive firms make significantly more (with a median total compensation of $171,901) than those employed by non-manufacturing organizations ($115,676). The highest median incomes were found among those employed by manufacturers of pharmaceutical and related products ($199,000) and fabricated metal products ($187,097), merchandising firms ($176,063), and manufacturers of computers and allied products ($175,000), chemical and allied products ($165,000), and machinery and heavy equipment ($163,200). The lowest median incomes were found in nonprofit organizations ($70,560), state & local government ($92,860), insurance companies ($93,040), educational institutions ($102,000), and banks & other financial institutions ($105,000). The remaining types of employer surveyed reported median compensation ranging from $115,000 to $120,000. Number of Attorneys The median income of attorneys starts at a high level in organizations with two to four attorneys ($156,600), declines to a low point in organizations with 25 or more attorneys ($92,932 - an anomaly due to input from state and local governments, a traditionally low-paying type of employer), and rises to $147,507 in companies with 10 to 24 lawyers. Number of Employees The number of employees in an organization is a good predictor of median income for attorneys. For example, the median annual income for attorneys in a company with 25,000 employees or more is $167,348, 61% higher than the $103,783 paid to attorneys in an organization with 500 to 999 employees. Fiscal Size of Organization The median income of attorneys correlates well with annual sales volume of manufacturing organizations, but less well in non- manufacturing organizations. Education The effect of attaining an MA/MS/MBA, in addition to the LLB/JD, was also studied. The median income of attorneys holding a graduate degree in addition to the LLB/JD was higher ($157,200) than that of those with only the LLB/JD ($135,387). Experience/Age/Year of JD/LLB Naturally, income increases fairly regularly with increased length of experience. Attorneys with 30-plus years of experience have a median income of $253,601, 353% higher than the $56,018 of those with one or two years of experience. Much the same pattern was found when income was compared to age of individual and year of LLB/JD, with the highest median income found among those who are 60 years of age or over ($200,892). Field of Specialization Of the areas of specialization studied, the highest-paid field of specialization for attorneys is administrative (with a median total annual cash income of $230,429), followed by intellectual property law - primarily copyright ($199,304), intellectual property law - primarily patent ($180,000), business - general ($165,000), mergers/acquisitions ($160,500), commercial law - general ($159,544), combination of litigation and non-litigation ($158,091), labor relations/collective bargaining ($155,314), environmental law ($153,729), and antitrust ($149,587). The lowest median incomes are received by those in education law ($84,882), securities ($87,224), legislation ($88,000), regulatory law ($90,025), and insurance law ($90,300). The remaining areas of specialization studied (banking, commercial - contracts, defense, employment, health care, international, non-litigation, real estate, and taxation) have median incomes in the $98,170 to $144,548 range. Supervisory/Managerial Responsibility Supervision or management of other attorneys and/or support staff correlates strongly with total compensation. For example, attorneys who direct the activities of 10 or more attorneys have a median income of $304,862, 185% higher than those who have little or no supervisory responsibility ($107,060). Job Function Turning to compensation by specific job function, the median total cash compensation of the chief corporate legal officer is $200,126; the mean compensation is $237,355. However, 10% of this group make under $99,800 and 10% make over $400,233. Naturally, income varies within this job function (and all other job functions studied) on the basis of the numerous demographic variables discussed earlier. The median incomes of other supervisory/managerial attorneys are:
On average, these jobs are in larger organizations than is the average Chief Corporate Legal Officer. Non-supervisory attorneys have a median total cash compensation of $110,800. Within this group, 10% make under $61,800 annually, and 10% make over $181,601, varying by level of responsibility, field of specialization, geographic location, type of employer, etc. When analyzed by level of responsibility, the median incomes are as follows:
Specialty Administrators Specialty Administrators have a median total income of $68,500, with a mean total income of $75,336; 10% of this group make under $44,520, and 10% make over $98,200. Legal Administrators Legal Administrators have a median total income of $57,070, with a mean total income of $60,081; 10% of this group make under $29,999, and 10% make over $91,452. Senior Paralegal Assistants Senior Paralegal Assistants have a median total income of $51,157, with a mean total income of $52,804; 10% of this group make under $40,459, and 10% make over $66,562. Paralegal Assistants Paralegal Assistants have a median total income of $40,960, with a mean total income of $43,435; 10% of this group make under $30,040, and 10% make over $57,191. Legal Secretaries The median total income of Legal Secretaries is $39,240. Ten percent of Legal Secretaries make under $32,048, and 10% make over $51,710. When divided by specific skill required, Legal Secretaries who use shorthand in their work have a median total income of $40,663, while those who transcribe from dictation equipment recordings have a median income of $38,918. Order the three-volume, 756-page survey report, Compensation of Legal & Related Jobs (Non-Law Firms), 24th Edition, described on this page for $995, with charges for shipping & handling (and IL sales tax, if applicable). The report is IN STOCK and can be shipped out within two business days. The mean, median, 1st and 3rd quartile, and 1st and 9th decile data for base salary, bonus/commission/profit sharing, and total annual cash compensation are reported for many demographic variables, including education, experience, geographic location, type and size of employer, etc. To purchase the report, use our On-Line Order Form, call 708/672-4200, email, fax, or write per the information at the bottom of this page. |
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