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Becoming a Lawyer is considered as one of the most sought after professions in India. The starting salary of a Lawyer usually ranges from INR 3 – 5 LPA, which gradually increases with experience and exposure. A senior Lawyer gets an average salary of INR 8.50 – 11 LPA. However, when a lawyer gets established in their profession and earns fame and recognition their salaries can go up to 1 Crore to 5 Crores annually.
The salary of a Lawyer depends on the specialisation as well as the years of experienced that they have gained. The average starting salary of a Criminal Lawyer in India ranges from INR 2.5 L and can go up to as much as INR 67 LPA. On the other hand the highest salary of a Civil Lawyer in India ranges from INR 47 – 60 LPA.
In order to become a Lawyer, aspiring candidates can pursue Undergraduate or Postgraduate Law Courses from any of the top Law Colleges across the country. Entrance to these colleges are usually done on the basis of Law Entrance Exams such as CLAT, AILET, LSAT etc.
What do Lawyers do
There are a list of activities that a Lawyer is incharge of. Some of the major responsibilities of a Lawyer are listed below for your reference,
- A Lawyer provides legal advice and guidance to their clients
- Lawyers write contracts and read witness statements
- Lawyers are also incharge of updating themselves with the recent developments in the lagal scenario
- Lawyers are responsible for representing clients in trails and attending court hearings
- Lawyers are in charge of collating evidences and researching case studies
Salary of a Lawyer
After successfully completing any of the above mentioned courses, the average salary of a Lawyer usually ranges from INR 3 – 5 LPA. This amount however changes with gradual experience, knowledge and exposure.
Average Annual Salary
Tabulated below is the average starting salary of a Lawyers across various courts in the country,
| Courts | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
| Supreme Court | 5.42 L |
| High Court | 3 L |
| District Court | 3.50 L |
| Session Court | 3.10 L |
Experience Wise Salary
The salary of a Lawyer also depends on the years of experience that s/he has gained. Tabulated below are the salaries for your reference,
| Experience | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
| Entry Level | 2.20 L |
| Mid Level | 10 L |
| Senior Level | 30 L |
Specialization Wise Salary
The various salaries bars for a Lawyer across different specializations are tabulated below for your reference,
| Specialization | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
| Criminal Lawyers | 2.5 L |
| Civil Lawyers | 2 L |
| Corporate Lawyers | 7.06 L |
| Cyber Lawyers | 15 L |
City Wise Salary
The average salary of a Lawyer across various cities in India are tabulated below,
| Name of the City | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
| Kolkata | 2.45 L |
| Delhi | 5.58 L |
| Mumbai | 6.22 L |
| Bangalore | 10.95 L |
| Pune | 2.11 L |
Skills Required to Become a Lawyer
The list of skills that are essential to become a Lawyer are tabulated below for your reference,
| Fluent Verbal Communication | Superior Writing Skills | Logical and Analytical Rationale |
| Extensive Legal Research | Coherent Client Service | Well Versed in Technology |
Lawyer Salary Guide – Jobs in the US
In 2018, it is expected that there will be a steady increase in demand for legal professionals who are experienced in high growth specialty areas. One of the trends showing in a lawyer salary guide is to increase salary offers to recruit top-tier candidates and thereby improve retention rates. Employers see the link between compensation and performance, so lawyers with higher salaries are expected to produce more billable hours.
Many law firms and legal departments take the usual route of hiring tenured associates. However, there are some who hire lawyers with about two or three years of experience, then train them in preparation for more responsibilities in the future. Legal professionals with experience in high-growth practice areas such as litigation, business or commercial law, real estate, compliance, and healthcare usually see competitive salaries and multiple job offers.
Aside from annual compensation, the lawyer salary guide shows that lawyers can receive benefits such as a signing bonus that can reach $27,000 on average. Reimbursement of expenses for relocation or moving from one market to another is also offered. Non-traditional benefits include pet insurance, emergency childcare or daycare, and loan access.
How much does a Corporate Lawyer make in the United States? The average Corporate Lawyer salary in the United States is $105,435 as of February 25, 2022, but the salary range typically falls between $93,915 and $117,589. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
How much are trainee solicitors paid?
Technically there is no official minimum salary for trainee lawyers, however The Law Society recommends a minimum of £22,794 for those training in London and £20,217 for trainees elsewhere in the country.
In reality, trainee lawyer salaries vary across the UK and your location is one of the biggest factors affecting what you’ll earn.
Firms in London often pay trainees above and beyond the recommended minimum. For example, the Magic Circle – comprised of Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfield Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters and Slaughter and May – London’s five most prestigious law firms currently offer first year trainees salaries in the region of £45,000 to £48,000. Once trainees reach their second year salaries rise to between £51,000 and £52,500.
However, it’s the USA-based firms (usually found in London) that pay the most impressive wages. For example, Kirkland & Ellis and White & Case pay first-year trainee solicitors £50,000. These figures rise to £55,000 in the second year.
While firms outside the capital tend to pay less, their pay packets are not to be dismissed. First-year trainee salaries in regional law firms range from £20,000 to £39,000. High street firms typically offer training salaries of £22,000 to £30,000.
Trainee salaries in Scotland are typically lower than the rest of the UK – the Law Society of Scotland’s recommended rate is £19,500 for first-year trainees and £22,500 in the second year. To find out more, see solicitor, Scotland.
Trainee solicitors are expected to work long and tiring hours and, at the start of your training contract, client contact will be minimal and the majority of your tasks will be administrative. Qualifying as a solicitor is a long process and the training contract is the final hurdle. As such, many trainees, especially those at City or Magic Circle firms, are rewarded with high salaries. Read more about the reality of working in law.
Search for law training contracts.
The current stipulated minimum award for pupil barristers (those completing a one-year pupillage according to the Bar Standards Board (BSB) is £18,960 for pupillages in London and £16,601 for those outside the capital. However, chambers may pay more than this. For example Blackstone Chambers and One Essex Court offer pupillage awards of £70,000.
How much do lawyers earn after qualifying?
As a newly-qualified (NQ) lawyer it’s likely you’ll enjoy a considerable jump in your earnings. However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic many firms decided to decrease NQ salaries and freeze pay. That said NQ salaries are still impressive.
While Magic Circle trainees took home salaries of £100,000 pre-COVID, the top five firms decided to cut salaries up to 10% during the pandemic. A number of these firms have since decided to increase NQ salaries but at the moment they fall short of pre-pandemic levels. For example Allen & Overy cut their NQ salaries to £90,000, but this has now been increased to £95,000. Linklaters also cut theirs to £90,000 but have since increased this to £92,500. Slaughter and May’s NQ solicitors will now earn £90,500 after pay was initially cut to £87,000 to curb the financial impact of coronavirus.
Unsurprisingly USA-based firms offer some of the highest remuneration packages to their newly qualified lawyers:
- Kirkland & Ellis pay their London-based newly qualified solicitors £150,000.
- Latham & Watkins offer newly-qualified solicitors £137,000.
- White & Case pay recently qualified lawyers £130,000.
As well as higher rates of pay, working for an international firm opens you up to opportunities for travel and work abroad.
Working at a City firm your work/life balance may be compromised but your salary is sure to reflect your hard work. For example:
- Ashurst – £105,000
- CMS – £73,000
- Dentons – £75,000
- Hogan Lovells – £90,000
- Norton Rose Fulbright – £82,500
- RPC – £66,500.
You can expect these figures to rise year-on-year as you gain post-qualified experience (PQE). If you become the partner of a firm your salary could potentially reach in excess of £100,000.
To find out more about Magic Circle, USA-based and City firms, see top UK law firms.
You’ll earn less elsewhere in the country and at smaller firms, but will likely progress up the ladder quicker and be given more responsibility earlier on in your career. Salaries for newly-qualified lawyers across the rest of the UK are in the region of £27,000 to £60,000.
As a newly qualified solicitor in Scotland, you can expect to be paid around £30,000 rising to £38,000, depending on your area of private practice or whether you’re working in house. This can increase to around £45,000 after three years’ experience.
Barristers earnings vary widely. Qualified barristers can take home anything between £50,000 and £200,000.
