How would you like to earn £648,000 just for doing your job? Well, that’s the average Eversheds paid to each member of its LLP up to the year ending 30 April, 2023, according to the Law Society Gazette. And that’s just the average. The highest paid member of Eversheds LLP received a cool £3.1m in the same year, up from £2.3m in the previous year. Of course, most lawyers don’t earn £648,000 a year, even those who are at the top of their game. In fact, if it’s money or after, you may be better off applying to be a London tube driver. They earn an annual average wage of £59,000. With overtime, you might even top £100,000. And they are still going on strike for more!
Young publicly funded barristers, barely scraping the national minimum wage, would envy that kind of money. No wonder, they also went on strike in 2022. So why do we do it?
Maybe it’s not just about the money. Maybe you don’t fancy driving down long dark tunnels in isolation in the early hours. Maybe you want a job where every day is a little different and where you can act on your own initiative. If so, you’ve come to the right place. Let us introduce you to the world’s most exciting profession.
Lawyers have existed since the beginnings of civilisation. It was lawyers who created our system of common law. Our unwritten constitution. If you get caught up in the criminal justice system, it may be the skill of your lawyer which determines whether you will be acquitted or possibly convicted, even for something which was not your fault. Don’t think that because you are a law-abiding citizen you can’t be caught up in the criminal justice system. Tell that to the 736 sub postmasters who were wrongly prosecuted as result of the defective Horizon Computer. Tell that to the 78-year-old pensioner, who was arrested for murder after a burglar had died breaking into his house. So what makes a good lawyer?
It Is not just about knowing the law. Anyone can do that. It is more about your attitude. It is primarily about your enthusiasm for what you are doing.
Enthusiasm is contagious. Clients will sense it. They will know that you are the right person to look after their interests. Enthusiasm means that you don’t mind putting in the hours to get the right result. Enthusiasm means that you will take the trouble to develop the best working relationships, not only with your clients, but with everyone else with whom you deal in your work. Enthusiasm means that you will not cut corners. Is that you? Then you should think seriously about a career in the law. That career could be more accessible than you might think.
BRUCE AND HOLLY 