how to negotiate salary for a lawyer job

Successfully Negotiate Your In-House Lawyer Salary and Job Offer

• BEFORE NEGOTIATING IN-HOUSE COUNSEL COMPENSATION, CALCULATE YOUR COSTS. After the initial excitement of landing a job...
• NEGOTIATE MORE THAN JUST YOUR IN-HOUSE ATTORNEY SALARY. For better or for worse, salary isn’t everything when it comes...
• KNOW YOUR NON-NEGOTIABLES WHEN DETERMINING YOUR IN-HOUSE LAWYER...

Full Answer

How to negotiate salary?

How to Negotiate Salary (With Tips and Examples) When an employer extends a job offer, they’ll usually present you with a package that includes a proposed salary. However, if you don’t feel the pay aligns with your education, career level, skill set and strengths you have to offer, you may choose to negotiate for more money.

How can I gain more from my new job negotiations?

The following three salary bargaining tips from leading negotiation experts will help you gain more from your new-job negotiations. In job and salary negotiations, we sometimes “get in our own way,” write Deborah M. Kolb and Jessica L. Porter in their book Negotiating at Work: Turn Small Wins Into Big Gains (Jossey-Bass, 2015).

What factors affect salary negotiations?

It’s important you know exactly how much value you can offer an employer before you begin the process of negotiating a salary. There are several factors that can influence your compensation, such as: Geographic location: Consider the cost of living in your geographic location.

Are bargainers better negotiators than collaborators?

Those who behaved competitively did better than those who focused on collaboration, but collaborators were more satisfied than competitive bargainers with the negotiation process. By contrast, compromising and accommodating strategies were not linked to salary gains.

Do law firms expect you to negotiate salary?

Be open to exploring multiple offers, even if you have one from your target firm. Your starting salary may be negotiable at smaller firms, but if you are in BigLaw, you can still negotiate for more pay. First, you should look to be made whole on your annual bonus.

How do you answer salary expectations for a lawyer?

Emphasize That Your Compensation Expectations Are Negotiable Any time you describe your expectations--even when you're stating that you don't have set ones yet--emphasize that your salary requirements are negotiable based on what the job requires and the overall compensation offered.

How do you negotiate salary after receiving a job offer?

How to Negotiate Salary After You Get a Job OfferBecome familiar with industry salary trends. You need to enter a salary negotiation as informed as possible. ... Build your case. ... Tell the truth. ... Factor in perks and benefits. ... Practice your delivery. ... Know when to wrap it up. ... Get everything in writing. ... Stay positive.

How much is a reasonable salary negotiation?

Consider negotiating lower if 10-20% places you above the average. Is the pay in-line with average pay, but still believe you can negotiate based on your skills? Consider a range between 5-7% above. You don't want to risk your chances with a company that is genuinely interested in your financial well-being.

How do I justify my salary request?

Salary Negotiation Tips 21-31 Making the AskPut Your Number Out First. ... Ask for More Than What You Want. ... Don't Use a Range. ... Be Kind But Firm. ... Focus on Market Value. ... Prioritize Your Requests. ... But Don't Mention Personal Needs. ... Ask for Advice.More items...•

How much of a salary range should I give?

A good rule of thumb is to keep the lower end of your range at least 10 percent above your current salary, or the number you determine is a reasonable salary for the position. For example, if you currently earn $50,000, you may say that your range is $55,000 to $65,000.

How do you counter offer salary example?

Double the difference between the current offer and your ideal salary. Add this number to the current offer. The result is your counter offer. For example: if your current offer is $60,000 and your ideal salary is $70,000, your counter offer should be $80,000.

Is asking for a 20k raise too much?

Asking for 10% to 20% more is also a good option if you're looking for a raise from your employer. That being said, Taylor said to not be afraid to "go big on your first negotiation." "Just be sure you're using market salary ranges as your data point," she said.

Is asking for a 30 raise too much?

While asking for 30 to 40 percent may be too much, Corcoran does recommend always asking for "more than you want" by "a little." "Raises are a process," Corcoran said.

Should I accept the first salary offer?

“Don't accept the first offer — they expect you to negotiate and salary is always negotiable.” “That's just not true,” says Weiss. Sure, much of the time there is an opportunity to negotiate, but some hiring managers genuinely give you the only number they can offer. The best way to find out, says Weiss, is to inquire.

Is it harder to get a salary deal if your practice is on a decline?

While if your practice is on a decline, securing the best salary deal will be way harder. As a side tip, you can add a bit of pathos to the negotiation saying that taking up the new job would mean leaving some bonus at the previous workplace. That’s a trick that proves worthy most of the time.

Is it good to negotiate with a lawyer?

As a lawyer, if you share your anxiety over salary negotiation with someone the least surprising answer will be – come on, lawyers should be good at it. And in a sense, that is true. Negotiating is a huge part of lawyers’ job. But as any of us, lawyers, also worry about salary negotiation – no matter whether landing the first job ...

What is salary negotiation?

Issues concerning salary negotiation arise at all stages of career, including in the job search process as well as in the case of individuals who have been working for the same employer for some period of time and wish to receive a raise. You are welcome to schedule an appointment with a CDO attorney-counselor to discuss the particular salary negotiation-related issues that are relevant to you.

How to keep negotiation lines open?

To keep the negotiation lines open you may also tell the employer that, although this is the range you are seeking, it may be flexible for the right opportunity. If at all possible, let the employer offer his or her salary range first so you have a better sense of what the employer has in mind.

Can you ask your employer what pay range they are considering?

However, even if you give your salary range first, you can still ask the employer what pay range it is considering. In addition, once the offer is made, it is important to gain a full understanding of the entire compensation package, which may include valuable non-cash components.

What does a good lawyer do?

Even if they’re operating in an advisory capacity (for example, helping you set up a trust, rather than helping you win a lawsuit), a good lawyer walks into every negotiation with every an answer to every imaginable question. Research is at the core of what lawyers do.

Why do lawyers have an advantage?

In short, attorneys have an advantage, because the very nature of their job requires them to become negotiating pros. If you want to duplicate their success, you don’t need to go to law school — you just need to learn how to build a case the way lawyers do. 1. Do your research.

Do lawyers walk into court?

Even if they aren’t going to court, lawyers enter every negotiation with evidence in hand. Law is based on evidence and precedence, so lawyers never walk into court without investigating all the facts and a history of what happened in similar cases throughout history.

Before Negotiating In-House Counsel Compensation, Calculate Your Costs

After the initial excitement of landing a job offer, your next thoughts usually turn to compensation—in particular, salary.

Negotiate More Than Just Your In-House Attorney Salary

For better or for worse, salary isn’t everything when it comes to compensation.

Know Your Non-Negotiables When Determining Your In-House Lawyer Salary

Before you even have a job offer to consider, you need to determine what your non-negotiables are.

You Need to Counter-Offer to Get the Best In-House Counsel Compensation

When they present you with the offer, thank them, express your continued interest in the position, and then ask for time to consider the offer.

Successfully Negotiate Your In-House Attorney Salary with the Help of a Lawyer Coach

A lot goes into an in-house interview process, and you don’t want to lose steam when it comes time to negotiate the job offer.

How to negotiate salary?

It’s important you know exactly how much value you can offer an employer before you begin the process of negotiating a salary. There are several factors that can influence your compensation, such as: 1 Geographic location: Consider the cost of living in your geographic location. For example, you might require a higher salary in San Francisco than Minneapolis for the same set of responsibilities because it generally costs more to live there. 2 Years of industry experience: If the job description requires 3-5 years of experience and you meet the higher requirement, it might warrant a higher salary. 3 Years of leadership experience: Similar to industry experience, if the employer prefers or requires leadership skills and you meet or exceed their expectations, it may be justification for higher pay. 4 Education level: Relevant bachelor’s, master’s, PhD or specialized degree programs can impact your compensation depending on the role or industry. 5 Career level: In general, you might expect a higher pay range as you advance further in your career. 6 Skills: Niche or technical skills that take time to master may attract higher salaries. 7 Licenses and certifications: An employer may require or prefer that you have specific licenses or certifications. If you already have them, you might be in a good position to request greater compensation.#N#When you begin your salary negotiation, be sure to reiterate why you’ll be a valuable employee and consider using the above factors to justify your desired salary.

What is the rule of salary negotiation?

One fundamental rule of salary negotiation is to give the employer a slightly higher number than your goal. This way, if they negotiate down, you’ll still end up with a salary offer you feel comfortable accepting. If you provide a salary range, the employer will likely err on the lower end, so be sure the lowest number you provide is still an amount you feel is fair.

What to do if your employer is not able to provide you with the salary you want?

Be flexible. Even if the employer is unable to provide the salary amount you want, they may be able to offer other forms of compensation. For example, you may be able to negotiate more stock options, extra vacation days, a sign-on bonus or additional work-from-home days to combat a lengthy commute.

Why is salary negotiation important?

Salary negotiation is a critical step in the hiring process. By taking the time to talk through why you feel you need more compensation, you can help employers better understand the value you provide. As with any new skill, the more you negotiate, the more you’ll improve and the easier it will become.

What to do if you don't feel the pay aligns with your education?

If you don’t feel the pay aligns with your education, career level, skill set and experience, you may choose to negotiate for more money. You may also suggest another form of compensation, such as equity or stock options, or additional perks such as extra vacation days. Knowing how to negotiate salary offers is a valuable skill ...

What to do when someone is surprised when you are negotiating?

If the person you’re negotiating with seems surprised, reacts negatively or immediately rejects your counter, try to remain confident and calm. Meet their reaction with open-ended questions to find out more information and keep the conversation going.

Why do you ask for an increase in salary?

Another reason you may ask for an increased salary is to cover any costs you’re accumulating by taking the job. For example, if you’re relocating to a new city for the job, you’ll have to pay moving expenses as well as any costs associated with selling or leasing your current home.

How to increase flexibility in negotiation?

Prepare to explain the value you would bring to the organization. Develop alternatives to the current negotiation to increase your flexibility at the table, and remember that the other party’s alternatives may be less attractive than yours. In addition, examine your vulnerabilities and plan ahead to compensate for them.

When will the salary negotiations be in 2020?

By Katie Shonk — on November 3rd, 2020 / Salary Negotiations. The question of how to negotiate salary seems to preoccupy negotiators more than any other negotiation topic—and with good reason, considering how dramatically even a small salary increase can impact our lifetime earnings.