Comments on: How Much Do Contract Attorneys Make In Terms Of Wage Rate? http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/ The Life of a Contract Attorney in Temp Town, Washington D.C. Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:23:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: attorney http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-42629 attorney Thu, 16 Jun 2011 01:52:12 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-42629 I agree with NYC Personal Injury Lawyer. Is there any other contract attorney been told that they are not entitled to overtime? still its difficult to define the wages rate. Good rate is always depending on a good market deal. I agree with NYC Personal Injury Lawyer. Is there any other contract attorney been told that they are not entitled to overtime? still its difficult to define the wages rate. Good rate is always depending on a good market deal.

]]> By: NYC Personal Injury lawyer http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-34063 NYC Personal Injury lawyer Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:23:52 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-34063 Informative Post...... But I think its too difficult to define the wages rate and rate is automatically define if you have a good deal in market. Informative Post…… But I think its too difficult to define the wages rate and rate is automatically define if you have a good deal in market.

]]> By: Bryan Paschke http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-29600 Bryan Paschke Mon, 24 Jan 2011 22:23:11 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-29600 @Joe: BBB? REALLY? you are going to rely on a PRIVATE company that has been shown to give "scores" based on membership dues (won't call 'em bribes, that wasn't proven)? A company with no actual power to police its members much less non-members? @Joe: BBB? REALLY? you are going to rely on a PRIVATE company that has been shown to give “scores” based on membership dues (won’t call ‘em bribes, that wasn’t proven)? A company with no actual power to police its members much less non-members?

]]> By: Joe http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-15317 Joe Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:15:34 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-15317 Attorney firm LAVIGNE, MARK & ROGERS LLC located in Manchester Connecticut is the worst firm to deal with when trying to run a real estate business. I went with Attorney Rogers at the time and he took over four months still working on the same thing that I had to stop and hire a different firm altogether. Be careful who you hire and make sure they are listed on the BBB website and check their credentials. Attorney firm LAVIGNE, MARK & ROGERS LLC located in Manchester Connecticut is the worst firm to deal with when trying to run a real estate business. I went with Attorney Rogers at the time and he took over four months still working on the same thing that I had to stop and hire a different firm altogether. Be careful who you hire and make sure they are listed on the BBB website and check their credentials.

]]> By: Marc D. http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-11370 Marc D. Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:01:25 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-11370 Yes, I believe the industry standard is around 40%, or least it should be. @Exempt, there is no overtime requirement, as to what you are entitled to, that is another issue all together Yes, I believe the industry standard is around 40%, or least it should be.
@Exempt, there is no overtime requirement, as to what you are entitled to, that is another issue all together

]]> By: Sara W. http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-7750 Sara W. Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:36:34 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-7750 Your rates seem awfully low. I'm a contract attorney making $65/hr in the Sacramento region (billed out at $145/hr -- insurance work). I have friends who work as contract attorneys who make far more -- a friend in family law (granted, she's billed out at $300/hr) in Sacramento making $125/hr, another friend making $110/hr in Portland (billed out at $225/hr), another friend making $80/hr in LA (bills out at $175/hr). Granted, we all have several years experience and choose to work part-time. I've heard from friends who are partners at some of the big firms in Sacramento that they have contract attorneys (10 years + experience and handling trials) who make $150/hr. It seems like the magic number tends to be 40-45% of what you are billed out at. Your rates seem awfully low. I’m a contract attorney making $65/hr in the Sacramento region (billed out at $145/hr — insurance work). I have friends who work as contract attorneys who make far more — a friend in family law (granted, she’s billed out at $300/hr) in Sacramento making $125/hr, another friend making $110/hr in Portland (billed out at $225/hr), another friend making $80/hr in LA (bills out at $175/hr). Granted, we all have several years experience and choose to work part-time. I’ve heard from friends who are partners at some of the big firms in Sacramento that they have contract attorneys (10 years + experience and handling trials) who make $150/hr. It seems like the magic number tends to be 40-45% of what you are billed out at.

]]> By: Howard Gibson http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-6187 Howard Gibson Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:01:06 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-6187 The interesting question is what do the agencies get for their part in contract attorney work. My friend says she gets $65/hr and pays $35/hr, with OT. Is that a too big spread, do some temp agencies get as little as $50/hr and still pay $35? The interesting question is what do the agencies get for their part in contract attorney work. My friend says she gets $65/hr and pays $35/hr, with OT. Is that a too big spread, do some temp agencies get as little as $50/hr and still pay $35?

]]> By: Steve Oster http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-3831 Steve Oster Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:14:49 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-3831 Alex, The DC Court of Appeals opinion does NOT require that document reviewers be DC-barred or pending. Provided that the client is informed of the attorneys' status, and the review is under the direction of a DC-barred attorney, foreign barred attorneys are perfectly OK. The opinion is not a model of clarity, which is the source of the common misunderstanding. Alex,

The DC Court of Appeals opinion does NOT require that document reviewers be DC-barred or pending. Provided that the client is informed of the attorneys’ status, and the review is under the direction of a DC-barred attorney, foreign barred attorneys are perfectly OK. The opinion is not a model of clarity, which is the source of the common misunderstanding.

]]> By: Saraswati http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-3748 Saraswati Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:34:59 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-3748 Interesting, are the figures you mentioned, the ones you earn before (i.e. the ones that are charged to the customer) or after deduction of any tax or charges ? It would also be interesting to know if a quota litis pact is largely used or not. Interesting, are the figures you mentioned, the ones you earn before (i.e. the ones that are charged to the customer) or after deduction of any tax or charges ? It would also be interesting to know if a quota litis pact is largely used or not.

]]> By: Exempt http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-2461 Exempt Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:58:58 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-2461 Has any other contract attorney been told that they are not entitled to overtime? My agency is telling me that and I'm not sure that this is true. Has any other contract attorney been told that they are not entitled to overtime? My agency is telling me that and I’m not sure that this is true.

]]> By: Gina http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-1765 Gina Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:30:20 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-1765 I don't understand why you are earning at such a low rate as a contract lawyer. If you do good work and market yourself directly to law firms rather than gonig through an agency, I believe you can earn twice what you are earning as an hourly rate. Get to know those at the law firms with the authority to hire you and ask them to hire you directly. If their contract with the temp agency prohibits them from hiring you directly without paying a fee for a year or so, ask them to hire you after the year is up. And it's especially helpful approach law firms you've never worked with before. Ask lawyers who are pleased with your work to refer you to other lawyers. I earn more than twice what you are earning and I am a contract attorney. I don't generally do document review, however. I do legal research and writing most of the time. Best of luck to you and thanks for your terrific and candid website. I don’t understand why you are earning at such a low rate as a contract lawyer. If you do good work and market yourself directly to law firms rather than gonig through an agency, I believe you can earn twice what you are earning as an hourly rate.

Get to know those at the law firms with the authority to hire you and ask them to hire you directly. If their contract with the temp agency prohibits them from hiring you directly without paying a fee for a year or so, ask them to hire you after the year is up. And it’s especially helpful approach law firms you’ve never worked with before. Ask lawyers who are pleased with your work to refer you to other lawyers.

I earn more than twice what you are earning and I am a contract attorney. I don’t generally do document review, however. I do legal research and writing most of the time.

Best of luck to you and thanks for your terrific and candid website.

]]> By: CorrectionRequired http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-1189 CorrectionRequired Thu, 08 May 2008 01:01:32 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-1189 Your rate information regarding foreign language projects is incorrect. Common languages like Spanish and French receive $45 an hour + OT. Mid-range languages generally get $50 +OT. The rate for rarer languages, which include Scandanavian AND Asian languages is between $55/65 an hour + OT. Note that it is a misconception that Asian languages are rare. Just because they do not use our same/a similar alphabet does not make them rare. There are way more Chinese/Japanese/Korean people in the world and in the U.S. than there are Finns, Norwegians and Hungarians, for example. Your rate information regarding foreign language projects is incorrect. Common languages like Spanish and French receive $45 an hour + OT. Mid-range languages generally get $50 +OT. The rate for rarer languages, which include Scandanavian AND Asian languages is between $55/65 an hour + OT. Note that it is a misconception that Asian languages are rare. Just because they do not use our same/a similar alphabet does not make them rare. There are way more Chinese/Japanese/Korean people in the world and in the U.S. than there are Finns, Norwegians and Hungarians, for example.

]]> By: Recent Law School Graduate http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-951 Recent Law School Graduate Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:16:49 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-951 What exactly does document review/contract work consist of? How does it look on a resume? are teh skills transferrable into a full time job? What exactly does document review/contract work consist of? How does it look on a resume? are teh skills transferrable into a full time job?

]]> By: DC CA Atty http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-444 DC CA Atty Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:31:41 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-444 Yes, I agree, it's about time we get paid beyond $35 an hour. I'm hoping for a big project to come to DC to soak up all the Contract attorneys. Hopefully, that'll adjust the supply/demand issue, giving us some leverage to receive a raise in pay. Yes, I agree, it’s about time we get paid beyond $35 an hour. I’m hoping for a big project to come to DC to soak up all the Contract attorneys. Hopefully, that’ll adjust the supply/demand issue, giving us some leverage to receive a raise in pay.

]]> By: Underpaid Contract Attorney http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-372 Underpaid Contract Attorney Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:24:02 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-372 So John H, who are the "smaller agencies" you are referring to? And, wouldn't it be better for firms to go with smaller agencies to save costs? I guess I'm not quite sure what the incentives are for firms to go with bigger agencies...Can anyone clarify? So John H, who are the “smaller agencies” you are referring to? And, wouldn’t it be better for firms to go with smaller agencies to save costs? I guess I’m not quite sure what the incentives are for firms to go with bigger agencies…Can anyone clarify?

]]> By: Document Relations » Blog Archive » Contract Attorney Wages http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-371 Document Relations » Blog Archive » Contract Attorney Wages Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:51:23 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-371 [...] are several good articles out there about contract attorney rates. One on My Attorney Blog, another on Temporary Attorney: Sweatshop Edition, both of which focus on East Coast rates. It may [...]

[...] are several good articles out there about contract attorney rates. One on My Attorney Blog, another on Temporary Attorney: Sweatshop Edition, both of which focus on East Coast rates. It may [...]

]]> By: John H http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-359 John H Sun, 27 Jan 2008 08:17:44 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-359 I agree it is important to register with both big and small agencies. The Nationals are able to lock in major contracts and large companies because of their ability to offer smaller margins. The smaller firms do not need the volume to make their money so they are willing to pay more. I agree it is important to register with both big and small agencies. The Nationals are able to lock in major contracts and large companies because of their ability to offer smaller margins. The smaller firms do not need the volume to make their money so they are willing to pay more.

]]> By: Temp Partner http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-311 Temp Partner Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:40:10 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-311 The only way short of some type of successful collective bargaining effort to raise the wage rate is for contract attorney demand to surge. This would only happen if law firm/corporate activity picks up or if there are a series of major cattle call type projects that suck up all available temps in the likes of SBC, Cingular, or CBOE/CBOT. I thought Google/Doubleclick would help do this but the project was smaller and shorter than expected. With the market the way it is, I'm not too optimistic about the prospects unfortunately, at least in the short term. The only way short of some type of successful collective bargaining effort to raise the wage rate is for contract attorney demand to surge. This would only happen if law firm/corporate activity picks up or if there are a series of major cattle call type projects that suck up all available temps in the likes of SBC, Cingular, or CBOE/CBOT. I thought Google/Doubleclick would help do this but the project was smaller and shorter than expected. With the market the way it is, I’m not too optimistic about the prospects unfortunately, at least in the short term.

]]> By: Underpaid Contract Atty http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/comment-page-1/#comment-309 Underpaid Contract Atty Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:09:55 +0000 http://www.myattorneyblog.com/how-much-do-contract-attorneys-make-in-terms-of-wage-rate/#comment-309 Isn't it time that we get a raise? Contract attorneys are paid $35 (on average) an hour, while we probably get billed out for $150 (or more)! I think there's something incredibly wrong with that. I know it has a lot to do with market demand and supply, but c'mon...$35?! In my opinion, I think contract attorneys should get paid $50 or more an hour. A friend of mine who works as a contract pharmacist makes about $60 an hour. $35 v. $60? I was too embarrassed to let her know how much I was making per hour. Does anyone else out there agree with me on this, or am I being too idealistic? I'd like to know. Isn’t it time that we get a raise? Contract attorneys are paid $35 (on average) an hour, while we probably get billed out for $150 (or more)! I think there’s something incredibly wrong with that. I know it has a lot to do with market demand and supply, but c’mon…$35?! In my opinion, I think contract attorneys should get paid $50 or more an hour. A friend of mine who works as a contract pharmacist makes about $60 an hour. $35 v. $60? I was too embarrassed to let her know how much I was making per hour. Does anyone else out there agree with me on this, or am I being too idealistic? I’d like to know.

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