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Non-Law Firm Attorneys Make $230,000+Compensation of Legal & Related Jobs (Non-Law Firms), 26th Edition - 2004PUBLISHED: November 2004 Summary of the three-volume, 1,141-page Compensation of Legal & Related Jobs (Non-Law Firms), 26th Edition - 2004 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 12 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).
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Attorneys outside of law firms have a median base annual salary of $107,213, and a mean base annual salary of $118,746. Their median total annual cash compensation (salary plus cash bonuses and/or cash profit sharing) is $113,840, while the mean total cash compensation is $136,037. However, 10% of these attorneys have a total annual cash compensation of over $232,043. Toward the other end of the spectrum, 10% of these attorneys have a total annual income of $54,361 or less.
On the other end of the spectrum, the median total income of Legal Secretaries is $39,405. Ten percent of Legal Secretaries make under $30,014, and 10% over $52,020. When divided by specific skill required, Legal Secretaries who use shorthand in their work have a median total income of $44,730, while those who transcribe from dictation equipment recordings have a median income of $38,012. These are some of the findings of a recent survey of current salaries and cash bonuses and/or profit sharing, and numerous demographic variables provided by 136 organizations on law department employees in 17 benchmark jobs. Copies of the complete three-volume, 1,141-page survey report entitled Compensation in Legal & Related Jobs (Non-Law Firms), 26th Edition - 2004 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 $395.00. Some of the median incomes of the other jobs reported in Compensation in Legal & Related Jobs (Non-Law Firms), 26th Edition - 2004 are:
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. Geographic Location In aggregate, the highest median incomes reported for attorneys this year were in: New York City ($246,000); San Francisco/Oakland ($202,535); Los Angeles/San Diego ($192,453); Houston ($160,000); Minneapolis/St. Paul ($157,283); Dallas/Ft. Worth ($155,675); Chicago ($139,429); and Boston ($135,000); and outside the metropolitan areas studied in New Jersey ($175,145); Kansas ($141,013); and Ohio ($137,214). The lowest median incomes were found in Baltimore ($53,540); St. Louis ($54,120); El Paso ($67,631); Providence ($67,898); and Denver/Colorado Springs ($69,642); and outside the metropolitan areas studied in Delaware ($51,902) and Colorado ($66,867). The remaining metropolitan areas surveyed had median incomes ranging from $129,868 to $69,696. 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 $175,290) than those employed by non-manufacturing organizations ($94,392). The highest median incomes were found among those employed by manufacturers of aerospace & aircraft products ($209,234), electrical & electronic products and machinery & heavy equipment (both $200,000), food/beverage/tobacco products ($192,500), pharmaceutical products ($175,000), and banks/financial institutions ($192,453). The lowest median incomes were found in nonprofit organizations ($66,637), state & local governments ($67,939), insurance companies ($99,288), and educational institutions ($120,208). The remaining types of employer surveyed reported median compensation ranging from $127,114 to $173,000. Number of Attorneys The median income of attorneys starts at a high level in organizations with one attorney ($165,750) and declines regularly to a low point in organizations with 25 or more attorneys ($88,059), reasonable given that there is only one Chief Corporate Legal Officer per firm. Number of Employees The total number of employees in an organization is not a good predictor of median income for attorneys. Fiscal Size of Organization Similarly, there is no significant correlation between the median income of attorneys and annual sales in either manufacturing or 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 ($167,000) than that of those with only the LLB/JD ($105,030). 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 $140,000, compared to the $52,024 received by attorneys 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 55 to 59 years of age ($161,536) or received their law degree in 1980-1984 ($161,754). Field of Specialization Of the areas of specialization studied, the highest-paid field of specialization for attorneys is commercial law - general (with a median total annual cash income of $194,868), followed by intellectual property law - primarily trademark ($194,000), international law ($174,745), intellectual property law - primarily patent ($172,200); business - general ($170,300), and securities ($165,230). The lowest median incomes are received by those in environmental law ($78,737), transportation law ($81,351), and employment law - workers compensation ($92,082). The remaining areas of specialization studied (administrative, banking, commercial, employment, employment law - FLSA, ADA, ADEA, ERISA, employment/labor relations/collective bargaining, health care, insurance, mergers/acquisitions, and real estate) have median incomes in the $114,000 to $163,594 range. Supervisory/Managerial Responsibility Supervision or management of other attorneys and/or support staff correlates with total compensation. For example, attorneys who direct the activities of 10 or more attorneys have a median income of $256,500, 133% higher than those who have little or no supervisory responsibility ($110,000). Job Function Turning to compensation by specific job function, the median total cash compensation of the chief corporate legal officer is $202,180. Naturally, income varies within this job function (and all other job functions studied) on the basis of the numerous demographic variables discussed earlier. Specialty Administrators Specialty Administrators have a median total income of $75,750, with a mean total income of $75,123; 10% of this group make under $51,759, and 10% make over $101,038. Legal Administrators Legal Administrators have a median total income of $61,680, with a mean total income of $64,778; 10% of this group make under $37,910, and 10% make over $93,019. Paralegal Supervisors Paralegal Supervisors have a median total income of $54,724, with a mean total income of $52,107; 10% of this group make under $32,867, and 10% make over $84,725. Senior Paralegal Assistants Senior Paralegal Assistants have a median total income of $43,353, with a mean total income of $46,334; 10% of this group make under $30,881, and 10% make over $65,360. Paralegal Assistants Paralegal Assistants have a median total income of $36,527, with a mean total income of $37,404; 10% of this group make under $28,884, and 10% make over $50,122. Legal Secretaries The median total income of Legal Secretaries is $39,405, with a mean total income of $40,191. Ten percent of Legal Secretaries make under $30,014, and 10% make over $52,020. When divided by specific skill required, Legal Secretaries who use shorthand in their work have a median total income of $44,730, while those who transcribe from dictation equipment recordings have a median total income of $38,012. Order the three-volume, 1,141-page survey report, Compensation of Legal & Related Jobs (Non-Law Firms), 26th Edition - 2004, 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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