As you can see, there is a wide variation in the average salary per practice area, especially as you get to the middle of the list. The highest-paid lawyers earn much more on average than lower salaries. For example, intellectual property lawyers have a higher than average annual salary. On the other hand, an immigration lawyer has a salary at the bottom.
Quality of life isn't nice for big lawyers, but that's why they get paid “a lot of money”. As you can see, the disparity there is greater than the average salary between a patent lawyer and a divorce lawyer. However, different sources list other figures for various specializations. Some of the discrepancies may be due to factors discussed above.
For example, the terms “patent attorney” and “intellectual property lawyer” are considered interchangeable in many contexts. There are a lot of different factors that contribute to a lawyer's salary, such as the place of employment, the type of law practiced, and more. On a day-to-day basis, most tax lawyers advise companies and individuals on all aspects of tax law. A trial lawyer is what many people see when they watch TV shows or movies that portray lawyers in a courtroom.
Again, private loans should be avoided if the PSLF is on the cards or if a lawyer believes you will graduate with double your income (or more) in law school student loans. Rest assured that lawyers receive very good compensation for all the hard work they do to obtain the license to practice. When you think of medical lawyers, malpractice immediately comes to mind, but these lawyers also deal with other areas of health care and personal injury law. In addition to specializing in specific industries, regulatory attorneys can also specialize in different parts of government: local, state, and federal.
Attorneys who go to one of the top 25 law schools, plan to enter a high-paying legal field or practice, or won't work for an employer who qualifies for the PSLF, such as the government or a non-profit organization, may want to explore this option. A patent attorney typically needs a highly specialized skill set that often includes additional educational training in a related field, such as engineering or biology. Family lawyers with experience in the private sector earn the most in this group and have greater income potential than their counterparts in the public sector. A senior corporate lawyer will provide legal advice on a variety of topics, such as contracts, collective bargaining, and other legal issues.
The lawyer would first make sure to have federal student loans from the Direct Loan Program, then choose an income-based repayment plan and work full time for an employer who qualifies for the PSLF. Criminal defense lawyers will make numerous attempts to resolve cases outside of court, but sometimes trials will be required. Companies can have one corporate lawyer on staff or they can have several corporate lawyers on staff, each of whom specializes in different aspects of the company. Real estate lawyers help their clients in a variety of ways with respect to commercial and residential real estate.
Attorneys advise and represent individuals, companies and government agencies in legal matters and disputes.
