There is a funny misconception these days that going to law school means that you will automatically make a lot of money. This could not be farther from the truth. If someone becomes a small time lawyer, taking on cases in a small town settling civil disputes you may never even see $60,000 a year. This is for several reasons. How much a lawyer gets paid is generally determined by how much he can charge per hour on a case. If the case is mostly civil disputes you can not charge very much money. If the case is a high profile celebrity murder case and you are a team of Orange County lawyers, you have to charge a lot more money, as well as deliver at a higher rate. This is because of what is expected out of you. These expectations come from a number of things including what law school you went to, how well you did, and what cases you have won in the last few years. Location plays a small role, but it can be a noticeable one. Although Phoenix is a larger city it does not compare with New York city. Top notch lawyers in New York make a lot more money than top notch Phoenix lawyers .

Lawyers do generally get paid more with time and this is partially due to the fact that they have more connections with time as well as having a better record. These connections can often be used to settle a case out of court before it becomes embarrassing for the client. Private sector jobs also pay a lot more than public sector jobs. A public defender will make a lot less money per year than a private one. This is partially due to the fact that public defenders are paid out of the tax dollars, but also because bonuses are a large part of how a private sector lawyer gets paid while bonuses are mostly not an option for a public defender. The thing to know when looking at how much a lawyer gets paid if you are thinking of becoming one, is to remember that your salary all starts with how well you do in school, and what sort of job you take. Playing your cards right you can make a lot of money, but there is no guarantee.

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