Date: March 12th, 2008 11:19 PM Author: Milky Vibrant Roommate
So I'm curious....
Is it possible to save up 100k a year in biglaw? If not, how long would it take to save up 500k
assume no school loans or debt
also assume that I'm in whatever market I need to be to save the quickest....would this be houston (low col), nyc maybe? (higher pay scale in later years)
advice is much appreciated, i hope to start my own business someday and would like to have a nice cushion
Date: March 12th, 2008 11:26 PM Author: histrionic primrose love of her life
Stay the hell out of NYC if that's your goal. You need to go somewhere like Houston, Charlotte, maybe even Chicago. After that, no secret, just live cheap. Live in a safe but small and apartment in a non-trendy neighborhood. Wear Jos. A Bank instead of bespoke, MTM, or even Brooks Brothers (although you should have at least one proper suit). Put a rolling chick magnet out of your mind, it's a Corolla or 4 cyl. Accord for you.
I think 195K is like 110k takehome, depending on where you live (check paycheckcity.com to see for sure). So maybe more like 50K/year to start. If you don't increase your spending in subsequent years, you can get to 100K/year by 3rd or 4th year, assuming NYC scale and bonus.
Date: March 12th, 2008 11:30 PM Author: Milky Vibrant Roommate
So If I choose to live in Houston or Chicago, is there a signing bonus of 10k in both cities?
Also, I have read that the bonus for the houston firms are only 5k? Would I be better off going to Charlotte or Chicago? I didnt think charlotte paid 160?
Date: March 12th, 2008 11:38 PM Author: histrionic primrose love of her life
Sorry, I can't give you many specifics on these markets. There's not much of a signing bonus anywhere, so I wouldn't worry about that (not clerking are you?). You'll need to ask the board (or maybe Greedy Texas) about bonus structure at specific firms in Houston. There are a handful of true biglaw firms in both Houston and Charlotte that I think are on full 160 uncompressed scale. Those jobs are probably harder to get, however, than most NYC market jobs.
How do you feel about Delaware? There's always Skadden Wilimington.
COL is probably lower in Charlotte (I'm guessing, there are various tools you can use to check) but market base and bonus are more plentiful in Chicago. So if you can get a firm on the 160 scale in Charlotte, I'd go there. If not, try Chicago.
Date: March 12th, 2008 11:22 PM Author: mauve parlour
your take home pay will probably be right around 100k your first year, friend. The only way to save that is to live on a cot in your office and beg for food scraps
It's not how "much" you work. The problem is that you do terrible, mindless work and are constantly surrounded by horrible people. It's a miserable existence, and you will be miserable.
You also get blamed for shit you didn't do, and don't get credit for stuff you do do.
Every time you get on a project that is being handled by a senior associate (and it happens all the time) just fucking spread your cheeks and expect the worst. They will always pass the blame and always keep the credit for everything.
If you get put on a good project some other associate will try to weasel it away from you. Possibly they will do it behind your back by smooth talking the person in charge of the project.
You're going to hate it. Everyone does. Even if you like it once in awhile, the overwhelming feeling will be constant despair. And when you find out the money isn't even that good, the hate for life really starts to take control. Soon, you will be wishing to be murdered on the subway.
Date: March 12th, 2008 11:39 PM Author: sable circlehead
No, it's fine. Just work 50 hours a week. If you're smart and motivated, you can do a good enough job in that timeframe. Maybe worry about working more if you're a 6th year and want to make partner. Learn how to turn down work.
Also, an NYC first year last year made well over 100k take home.
Date: March 13th, 2008 12:02 AM Author: Milky Vibrant Roommate
i want to buy an existing business in money management...possibly buy the book of a financial advisor
it makes sense for me to take my 90k at vandy over uva if i dont expect to be in law past 7,8 years....i just want to save up as much as possible and have the freedome to start my own business, i dont want to have to work an additional year or two paying down student loans when i can get a market job at vandy if i finish above the median, which i will
Date: March 13th, 2008 12:14 AM Author: Crusty Passionate Mother Station
I know black muslims who have won the democratic primary for President. I guess that means all black muslims will win the democratic primary for the presidency.
Date: March 13th, 2008 12:13 AM Author: glittery chocolate deer antler people who are hurt
I know, you probably won't be able to scrape that money together for a while, especially when you get bottom25%pwned and end up in Nashville small law.
Date: March 13th, 2008 12:19 AM Author: Milky Vibrant Roommate
bottom 25% gets nashville biglaw
plus your forgetting that students at vandy dont get ranked....employers have a tough time even figuring out if a student is below the median, let alone bottom 25%
Date: March 13th, 2008 8:04 AM Author: Fiercely-loyal chartreuse newt base
This post is retarded. First off, most schools that don't rank DO place an estimated GPA for each quartile on their transcripts so employers will know. Even without that, most firms interviewing at Vandy will probably have a Vandy alum interviewing and he/she will know. If they don't send a Vandy alum, the recruiting coordinator will CERTAINLY know.
Also, lol at students in the bottom 25% getting any biglaw, much less "biglaw" in such a small market. What you don't understand is that it becomes harder and harder to get biglaw jobs the smaller the market, ESPECIALLY when that market is being flooded by grads from your school with better grades. Perversely, Nashville may be the most difficult market for you to get biglaw coming from Vandy with so-so/bad grades. Nashville firms will have a tiny number of spots open for all your Vandy friends with better grades who always wanted to practice in Nashville, AND for all of the T-14 grads from Tenn who want to move back home. Plus, those firms would much rather take top 5% from the local TTTs than your bottom-feeding Vandy ass. GL with that.
Date: March 13th, 2008 2:31 PM Author: Fiercely-loyal chartreuse newt base
&toh I see, so when you said "bottom 25% gets Nashville biglaw; you really meant you have connections so you'll get it with any GPA. If it's the case that u have all these connections, why not just go to a TTT, bc bottom
quarter at Vandy will pretty much put you in the same place.
And wow, your dad must be a managing partneror some shit bc it'd take some serious connections to overcome those grades. A frat brother who just started as a first year ain't gonna cut it
Rereading your post, are you simply talking about connections to the city? If so, firms will still care about grades
Date: March 13th, 2008 12:28 AM Author: Lemon thriller organic girlfriend area
That doesn't really sound like "your own business" as much as it would make you self-employed. You'd still be providing professional services, and limited to making what you can charge people for your advice/work.
"Your own business" of the sort people usually talk about--the sort that might allow you to accumulate serious wealth--generally means you need to actually have other people working for you, so you can grow the business beyond the services that you, personally, are able to provide.
Date: March 13th, 2008 12:37 AM Author: Grizzly laughsome dingle berry sanctuary
try K&E chicago or something. keep asking for more work. bill 2800 hours. last year a few at K&E got 160 + as high as 70 or 80 in bonsu i think.
might be a problem since there won't be a special bonus this year, but even at $205k you take home like $115. I think on the $205 scale it went $205, $220, $245, $265, $275 or so. In Chicago you probably could live on $40k no prob. Just guessing, but you could save $75 first year, $85 second, $100 third, $120 fourth, $130 fifth, BAM!
Date: March 13th, 2008 12:37 AM Author: bright personal credit line
Wait, so you are going to LS with plans to leave law after five years? Why not just get a decent job in a low COL city and save what you can while building some sort of business skill. Then find some investors for your business instead of investing your hard-earned biglaw $$$? It will be a lot harder than you think to part with 500K once it has taken years to accumulate.
Date: March 13th, 2008 1:19 AM Author: Aggressive lay
Why do you want to start a financial advisory business? It seems like you'd be better suited to open up your own law shop (or with a couple of other people). Hell I think owning/operating a restaurant/bar would be much more fun than what you mentioned. Do you have any skills/knowledge in that field? I always thought opening up a vinyard would be fun :)
Date: March 13th, 2008 7:44 AM Author: opaque arousing coldplay fan jewess
What's the best way to make a small fortune with a vineyard?
Start with a large fortune.
By the way, financial advisors are generally community college kids who can't get a real job, so they go into "business" selling insurance and brokerage services. They are essentially freelance sales people.
Date: March 13th, 2008 12:09 PM Author: Milky Vibrant Roommate
successful financial advisers make way more than lawyers
ive met regular advisers who work 20 hours a week making 800k a year.....you would be surprised how much these people make, if you can get past the 93% failure rate
Date: March 13th, 2008 1:58 PM Author: harsh multi-billionaire office
I'll vouch for this. A close family friend just started in the business last year (after several failed small businesses) and works <40 hours and will make about $300K this year. And it's fairly self-perpetuating, so that it should multiply down the road without that much more additional effort. But he's a very good salesman, and tons of people at his company struggle along for a year or so with no income, and finally drop out.
Date: March 13th, 2008 9:13 AM Author: Bronze aromatic stag film
It is important to have a nest egg stashed away in case of an unexpected tragedy or firing. This is particularly important in the economy, when the probability of being fired rises exponentially.