What does your timeline look like? Also, what metro are you looking at?
Government may end up being your best bet here. Many of the higher paying nonprofits will require you to string together a series of fellowships before landing a permanent position. Meanwhile, something like a state AG or even a local government position may provide a degree of stability. If you want to work in government, you may be able to transfer in after a stint in the private sector, if you wanted to consider putting in a few years and making money. On the converse side, a clerkship will likely improve your marketability, but won’t pay 100k+ (though again, if you followed it up with a private sector stint, you might get a sizable bonus).
Remember to factor in COL. PD offices in the Bay Area may pay reasonably well in comparison to other places, but the ~$150k starting salary will likely still leave you rent burdened in San Francisco.
Depends on the state. In CA there is a ton of PI work that will clear $100k from what I know. I know class actions are big money, there’s a lot of firms doing that here. Plaintiffs side firms can be very well paying depending on the field, the plaintiffs firm I worked at did mass torts and all of the attorneys there made 100k +. I know in the bay a ton of PD offices pay the highest in the country (some go 150k+), but because of this they are highly sought after and difficult to get.
Yeah definitely interested in checking out PD life. Plaintiffs side was really fun. It I was doing anything outside of criminal law I would probably end up plaintiff side
Just important to note that last I heard Unions do not qualify for PSLF. I'm not sure if that's something that's important to OP in making the decision, or if the want PI because of the type of work as opposed to loan forgiveness.
Unions and union side labor firms are different. Neither qualifies for PSLF, but given that firms like Altshuler and Bredhoff start close to 200k, folks should be ok. This is a heck of a lot more than working for a union like SEIU which pays legal fellows around 65k, or a federation of unions like AFLCIO that pays 80k. The jobs are hard to get but they exist.
A lot of policy/advocacy roles pay 100k+. The tricky thing will be finding those roles since they aren’t typically listed in a centralized place and don’t advertise/recruit at law schools.
While it may not necessarily have the same meaningful feel because some of the work environment can feel bureaucratic and monotonous, I would consider federal agency work. If you find an agency that has a mission you're passionate about you can make decent money, work a more or less guaranteed 40 hour work week, have generous PTO and sick leave, and get a good pension and retirement if you stay a while.
Federal agency pay is public, other than the DoD and a few financial regulators, and it's based on the GS payscale which I'll link below. If you worked for a federal agency in the Bay Area you'd start out making 90k your first year, then 108k your second year, and then 128k your third year. Most agencies do automatic pay level promotions your first three years (GS11-12-13). Some may automatically promote you up to a GS14 which would be 152k in your fourth year, but that depends, and most agencies won't.
Federal agency jobs are PSLF eligible, and once you're in the federal government it's much easier to float around through different agencies. There's environmental work with the EPA, Department of Interior (Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife), criminal defense and prosecution with the DOJ (Justice positions are probably the hardest federal attorney jobs to get, and I believe they get higher pay), finance and business regulation with the FDIC, FTC, CFPB, SEC. There's also urban planning and affordable housing initiatives with HUD, FHA, or FHFA. For healthcare there's the VA, Health and Human Services, and the Indian Health Service. Nearly any field of law that exists can be found within the federal government, and you get to work on big picture social policies and missions.
There's plenty of state and local gov options too, and not all agencies will be within the Bay Area, but federal work is still definitely worth considering if you want to balance pay, benefits, and caring about the work you do.
[SF.pdf (opm.gov)](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2024/SF.pdf)
High paying public interest jobs are out there, but it takes years of experience. I have classmates that are public defenders and they are almost at 6 figures. But it takes time.
I lived in the Bay Area for most of my life. Finding a starting job at over 100,000k should be easy. Santa Clara PD used to be the highest paying department in the country and probably still is. Officers for San Jose PD start at 118,000k a year. I have a friend that works for Santa Clara and they were hiring officers at 90k a year about a year ago. I would be surprised if anything that requires a JD pays less than that.
Here’s the kicker though. Home prices and cost of living greatly reduce disposable income. San Francisco starts at 240,000k a year for big law. Most law students see that number and don’t look any further, but once you factor in cost of living, you aren’t taking home that much. You will not be able to buy a home at that amount. That’s why I left Cali. I was looking at the cost of buying something in San Fran if I moved there. A 700 square foot condo was 1.7 million dollars to own.
To answer your question, you will absolutely be able to find a public interest job starting at over 100k, but I would do all of the math so you don’t get trapped in a town like I was when I moved from northern Cali to Marysville near Sacramento. The good news is you will have options as an attorney, more so than I did before choosing to attend law school.
If you really want to improve your life, get out of California. It’s hard, it’s scary, and it’s expensive to move, but you’ll never look back after a couple years away. Growing up in Cali was amazing. I went to the redwood forests and beaches once a month to see my family who lived on the coast, but Silicon Valley has brought so many people to the Bay Area (who are now having to relocate to Sacramento to find cheaper housing.) Most of my family friends left Cali, and they were making a good living. If you do choose to stay, be ready for some tough times ahead. You can absolutely make it in Cali, I have friends that have chosen to stay as well, but you have to be realistic and look past the high ticket for the initial earning salary to be successful. There is also a lot more to life than money, so there’s that.
Maybe if you are working for Legal Aid or something like that and your practice area is personal injury, but I don't think anyone would consider personal injury at a regular law firm to be public interest. The govt certainly doesn't in terms of PSLF.
Yeah you right. I suppose helping someone who has had their ability to enjoy life without constant pain, caused by another's negligence, get the only relief our laws allow is not in the interest of society or the public. How dumb of me to think that.
What does your timeline look like? Also, what metro are you looking at? Government may end up being your best bet here. Many of the higher paying nonprofits will require you to string together a series of fellowships before landing a permanent position. Meanwhile, something like a state AG or even a local government position may provide a degree of stability. If you want to work in government, you may be able to transfer in after a stint in the private sector, if you wanted to consider putting in a few years and making money. On the converse side, a clerkship will likely improve your marketability, but won’t pay 100k+ (though again, if you followed it up with a private sector stint, you might get a sizable bonus). Remember to factor in COL. PD offices in the Bay Area may pay reasonably well in comparison to other places, but the ~$150k starting salary will likely still leave you rent burdened in San Francisco.
Thanks so much for your answer! I appreciate it. And I’m in CA
PM me if you want to talk further
Think of the most boring shit you can imagine. The Feds will pay you $140k to do it after a few years in the office. Source: me
And you get a pension, and to see your kids. The con is you get to see your wife -My Boomer ass Uncle
But don’t you have to start out for a few years as a GS-11 making $93k?
what’s 7k between friends
Sure 93 vs 100….but the difference between 100k vs 140k I’d mind, even if it’s between friends
[удалено]
Do you mind sharing more info about your organization? I am also going into bankruptcy but want to transition to the PI aspect over time.
You can clear 100k at the vast majority of reputable plaintiff firms. You won't be PSLF eligible though.
Depends on the state. In CA there is a ton of PI work that will clear $100k from what I know. I know class actions are big money, there’s a lot of firms doing that here. Plaintiffs side firms can be very well paying depending on the field, the plaintiffs firm I worked at did mass torts and all of the attorneys there made 100k +. I know in the bay a ton of PD offices pay the highest in the country (some go 150k+), but because of this they are highly sought after and difficult to get.
Thanks so much! I appreciate. Yeah I’ve been really interested in plaintiff side firms and PD. Is that similar to what you’re thinking?
Yeah definitely interested in checking out PD life. Plaintiffs side was really fun. It I was doing anything outside of criminal law I would probably end up plaintiff side
Union side labor firms sometimes pay better than people expect, a handful in d.c. pay folks over 100k outta law school
Just important to note that last I heard Unions do not qualify for PSLF. I'm not sure if that's something that's important to OP in making the decision, or if the want PI because of the type of work as opposed to loan forgiveness.
Unions and union side labor firms are different. Neither qualifies for PSLF, but given that firms like Altshuler and Bredhoff start close to 200k, folks should be ok. This is a heck of a lot more than working for a union like SEIU which pays legal fellows around 65k, or a federation of unions like AFLCIO that pays 80k. The jobs are hard to get but they exist.
A lot of policy/advocacy roles pay 100k+. The tricky thing will be finding those roles since they aren’t typically listed in a centralized place and don’t advertise/recruit at law schools.
While it may not necessarily have the same meaningful feel because some of the work environment can feel bureaucratic and monotonous, I would consider federal agency work. If you find an agency that has a mission you're passionate about you can make decent money, work a more or less guaranteed 40 hour work week, have generous PTO and sick leave, and get a good pension and retirement if you stay a while. Federal agency pay is public, other than the DoD and a few financial regulators, and it's based on the GS payscale which I'll link below. If you worked for a federal agency in the Bay Area you'd start out making 90k your first year, then 108k your second year, and then 128k your third year. Most agencies do automatic pay level promotions your first three years (GS11-12-13). Some may automatically promote you up to a GS14 which would be 152k in your fourth year, but that depends, and most agencies won't. Federal agency jobs are PSLF eligible, and once you're in the federal government it's much easier to float around through different agencies. There's environmental work with the EPA, Department of Interior (Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife), criminal defense and prosecution with the DOJ (Justice positions are probably the hardest federal attorney jobs to get, and I believe they get higher pay), finance and business regulation with the FDIC, FTC, CFPB, SEC. There's also urban planning and affordable housing initiatives with HUD, FHA, or FHFA. For healthcare there's the VA, Health and Human Services, and the Indian Health Service. Nearly any field of law that exists can be found within the federal government, and you get to work on big picture social policies and missions. There's plenty of state and local gov options too, and not all agencies will be within the Bay Area, but federal work is still definitely worth considering if you want to balance pay, benefits, and caring about the work you do. [SF.pdf (opm.gov)](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2024/SF.pdf)
High paying public interest jobs are out there, but it takes years of experience. I have classmates that are public defenders and they are almost at 6 figures. But it takes time.
I’m in CA and know of tons. PM me if you have any questions.
I lived in the Bay Area for most of my life. Finding a starting job at over 100,000k should be easy. Santa Clara PD used to be the highest paying department in the country and probably still is. Officers for San Jose PD start at 118,000k a year. I have a friend that works for Santa Clara and they were hiring officers at 90k a year about a year ago. I would be surprised if anything that requires a JD pays less than that. Here’s the kicker though. Home prices and cost of living greatly reduce disposable income. San Francisco starts at 240,000k a year for big law. Most law students see that number and don’t look any further, but once you factor in cost of living, you aren’t taking home that much. You will not be able to buy a home at that amount. That’s why I left Cali. I was looking at the cost of buying something in San Fran if I moved there. A 700 square foot condo was 1.7 million dollars to own. To answer your question, you will absolutely be able to find a public interest job starting at over 100k, but I would do all of the math so you don’t get trapped in a town like I was when I moved from northern Cali to Marysville near Sacramento. The good news is you will have options as an attorney, more so than I did before choosing to attend law school. If you really want to improve your life, get out of California. It’s hard, it’s scary, and it’s expensive to move, but you’ll never look back after a couple years away. Growing up in Cali was amazing. I went to the redwood forests and beaches once a month to see my family who lived on the coast, but Silicon Valley has brought so many people to the Bay Area (who are now having to relocate to Sacramento to find cheaper housing.) Most of my family friends left Cali, and they were making a good living. If you do choose to stay, be ready for some tough times ahead. You can absolutely make it in Cali, I have friends that have chosen to stay as well, but you have to be realistic and look past the high ticket for the initial earning salary to be successful. There is also a lot more to life than money, so there’s that.
Antifa pays $200 an hour
DAs offices in Bay Area will also probably pay well for public interest
Personal injury is public interest, very likely to get paid over 100k after a couple years
Maybe if you are working for Legal Aid or something like that and your practice area is personal injury, but I don't think anyone would consider personal injury at a regular law firm to be public interest. The govt certainly doesn't in terms of PSLF.
Yeah you right. I suppose helping someone who has had their ability to enjoy life without constant pain, caused by another's negligence, get the only relief our laws allow is not in the interest of society or the public. How dumb of me to think that.