Golden Flyer

I hear people telling others to go to Law school etc... and forget being a pilot because the path to getting to the majors is a long and overwhelming route. Someone at the majors can be earning up to $150 K with years and senirority on the airline. That figure is less than it use to be because the industry is down. I met this retired pilot from Air Canada pilot and he had to retire because of his age, however he was there from the 'glory days' and his last year salary almost ended at $300K. What if those days were suppose to return. However, even with the pay cuts at the majors, you'll notice that the pilot pay salaries at the majors arent that much different from federal lawyers!

P.S. Please remember that after all your schooling, your most likely to be doing little stuff within a law firm before obtaining any of these pay rates and outstanding debt is a must unless mom or dad can cover these!!! :



SALARIES
The Department has two pay scales applicable to attorneys. Attorneys hired by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices are compensated under an Administratively Determined (AD) pay scale authorized by Title 23, U.S. Code. All other attorneys are compensated under the General Schedule (GS) for federal employees authorized by Title 5, U.S. Code. Federal salaries vary by geographic location. Attorneys assigned to high cost of living areas receive a percentage of their base pay as "locality pay." The Office of Personnel Management publishes GS salary tables that list base pay and, for geographic areas with locality pay, the specific annual salary for that location. For both the current GS base salary and exact GS salaries by location, visit www.opm.gov/oca/06tables/indexGS.asp. Salary ranges for Assistant U.S. Attorneys differ from the GS salary for that location and are graded based on experience and level of responsibility. Candidates interviewing with a U.S. Attorney's Office should discuss salary requirements with the hiring office.
Experienced Attorneys: Starting salaries for experienced attorneys are based on the position, the attorney's experience, and other considerations. Generally, only experience in the field of law will be considered relevant, but non-legal experience following law school may be counted if it can be satisfactorily demonstrated that such experience is directly applicable to the attorney duties to be performed with the organization and is particularly helpful to the hiring organization. In rare instances, pre-law school graduation experience, whether legal or non-legal, may be considered. The chart below applies to the GS schedule, and depicts the years of experience that generally permit the indicated GS grade level. The U.S. Attorney's Offices use an Administratively Determined pay schedule based on years of experience and other qualifications. Please note that the fact that an attorney has the minimum experience for a particular grade level does not mean that the attorney is entitled to that grade level. Starting salaries are generally negotiated with the hiring component and are based on many factors, including budgetary considerations, the level of responsibility associated with the position, and the salary levels of currently employed attorneys. Please note that there are ten salary steps within each GS salary grade and a range of salaries within each AD salary grade. Experienced attorneys should discuss salary requirements with the hiring office as part if the hiring process.
Years of ExperienceGS-Salary GradeGeneral Scale (GS) Pay Grade and Annual Base Salary Range (steps 1-10) (Not Including Locality Pay)2006 Annual GS Salary Range for Washington, D.C. Area (steps 1-10) (Including Locality Pay)Up to one year GS-11 $46,189 to $60,049 $54,272 to $70,558 1 or more years GS-12$55, 360 to $71,965 $65,048 to $84,559 1.5 or more years GS-13$65,832 to $85,578 $77,353 to $100,554 2.5 or more years GS-14$77,793 to $101,130 $91,407 to $118,828 4 or more years GS-15$91,507 to $118,957 $107,521 to 139,774
Entry-level (Honors Program) Attorneys: The chart below lists the 2006 GS pay scale base salary, and salary for the Washington, D.C. area. Starting salaries for Honors Program attorneys hired under the GS scale are based on the qualifications listed. Honors Program attorneys hired as Assistant U.S. Attorneys are subject to the salary policies in effect at the hiring office and should discuss salary requirements as part of the hiring process.
Qualifications General Scale (GS) Pay Grade and Annual Base Salary (Not Including Locality Pay)2006 Annual Salary for Washington, D.C. Area (Including Locality Pay)Candidates with a law degree (J.D. or equivalent)GS-11, step 1: $ 46,189$ 54,272Candidates with 1 year of post-law school judicial clerkship experienceGS-12, step 1: $ 55,360$ 65,048Candidates who earn advanced law degrees with 1 year of full-time graduate law study (L.LM or equivalent)GS-12, step 1: $ 55,360 $ 65,048Candidates with 2 – 3 years of judicial clerkships or combination of clerkships and graduate law degree. (at the discretion of the hiring component)
GS-13, step 1: $ 65,832
$ 77,353
PROMOTIONS
Attorney promotions are generally performance-based, and are subject to time-in-grade requirements. It is possible for attorneys starting at the GS-11 grade level to reach the GS-15 level in three and one-half years. Some components may require longer times-in-grade or restrict the grade level to which non-supervisory attorneys may be promoted. Meeting the minimum time-in-grade requirement does not automatically entitle an attorney to a promotion. The chart below reflects the minimum time-in-grade requirements for attorneys compensated under the GS schedule. Promotions for Assistant U.S. Attorneys paid under Title 23 are subject to different time-in-grade requirements.
Grade Level Minimum Time-In-Grade for Consideration GS-11 to GS-12 6 months GS-12 to GS-13 6 months if hired at the GS-12 level; otherwise, 1 year GS-13 to GS-14 1 yearGS-14 to GS-15 1 year (with outstanding performance appraisal; otherwise, 18 months)

Experienced Attorneys: Experienced attorneys may be considered for promotion from their current GS level to the next higher GS level once they have served the minimum time-in-grade.
Entry-Level Attorneys: Entry-level (Honors Program) attorneys compensated under the GS schedule may be considered for promotion from their current GS level (e.g., GS-11) to the next higher GS level (e.g., GS-12) once they have served the minimum time-in-grade and been admitted to the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).

USMCFLYR

Another article detailing the increased competition and problems of the legal profession.

What You Should Do Instead Of Law School - Yahoo! Education

Much of it sounds eerily familiar!

UASIT

I work in DC...Let me tell you. Most lawyers I know hate it...There are a few exceptions but the majority of them hate their life and realize they are nothing more than 'billing' machines...I had to stop spending time with many of them they were so negative and angry it was bringing me down...Also, they drink heavily...

Ones that do like their job are in federal government service and those with law degrees that are happy are doing Program Management or IT...Not kidding about the IT.

Airhoss

I meet very few happy practicing lawyers and I know many who've got law degrees and are not practicing any kind of law.

Twin Wasp

Cops and lawyers don't deal with many happy people at work. It rubs off.

rickair7777

At least the JD opens up other avenues.

I know plenty of happy lawyers, typically ex-mil guys who work for the prosecutor. Not making millions of course, but the hours and benefits are certainly reasonable and putting away scumbags is it's own reward to an extent.

GogglesPisano

"The surest cure for a love of the law is to spend time with lawyers."

tomgoodman

"Those that respect the law and love sausage should watch neither being made."

--(attributed to Mark Twain, Otto Von Bismarck, and others)

UASIT

Keep in mind when you look at the GS pay scale...You can negotiate your step. There is an desire by the hiring agency to bring you in at step 1.But, you can get in at any step with the grade they are authorized funding for. It's something they don't advertise...

JamesNoBrakes

So did you actually get this, or is this what you heard? This is the first I've heard of it.

The OP doesn't seem right, GS-11 base starts at 50K, no locality pay. In DC it starts at 62.