Which lawyers earn the most?
Highest paying specialism | Average salary |
---|---|
Investment Banking | £81,000 |
Compliance & Regulatory | £80,000 |
Antitrust, Trade & Competition | £78,000 |
Investment Funds | £75,000 |
Projects & Infrastructure | £73,000 |
Lowest paying specialism | Average salary |
---|---|
Employment & Pensions | £45,000 |
Public Law | £40,500 |
Civil Litigation | £39,500 |
Criminal Justice | £38,000 |
Personal Injury | £32,000 |
With the hit TV show 'Suits' showing lawyers to be the epitome of slick power and wealth, it may be that a larger than usual fresh raft of young graduates investigate the Law as a career. If money is part of their selection process when it comes to picking a specialism, which might incidentally help narrow down a best paying law firm, here are a few pointers:
Stereotypes still stand: Law associates working in Financial-related fields earn the most, while lawyers with public or individual clients get paid the least. Still, the gap is impressive : with the same experience and job title, personal injury lawyers earn x2.5 less than investment banking lawyers. High salaries in Compliance & Regulatory are a direct consequence of the financial crisis and the tougher financial regulations that ensued, with high budgets allocated by banks to either avoid paying fines or pre-empt legal entanglement.
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