John W. Redmann | March 14, 2025 | Miscellaneous
Lawyers typically earn a higher-than-average salary. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary for a Louisiana lawyer is $135,780. While this seems like a lot compared to many jobs, it is also far below the average salary for physicians, financial advisors, and CEOs in the state.
Moreover, this number is slightly misleading. Lawyer compensation varies widely depending on the field of law and employer. In-house lawyers with a large petroleum company might make seven-figure salaries, while the environmental lawyers fighting them might earn less than the average lawyer’s salary.
Factors That Affect Lawyer Compensation
An attorney’s practice area affects their pay. However, experience and seniority often play a much larger role in determining a lawyer’s compensation.
A first-year associate in a law firm may have a healthy starting salary, but it will be far below that of a partner or shareholder. This is because associates usually receive a fixed salary with a year-end bonus. Shareholders and partners, on the other hand, typically receive a share of the firm’s profits. When an associate becomes a partner, their compensation usually jumps.
Experience also affects compensation. More experienced lawyers require less supervision and, as a result, are more valuable to a firm’s bottom line. As a result, firms pay more for lateral hires who have worked at other firms than new hires out of law school.
Finally, lawyer compensation depends on the billing structure. Most lawyers bill an hourly rate. This ensures a steady income but may set an upper limit to their compensation because there are only so many hours a day the lawyer can work.
Other lawyers, particularly those who practice personal injury law, charge a contingency fee. They can earn significantly more because their compensation depends on the results they produce rather than the hours they work. If they show consistent success, their compensation will reflect it.
Highly Paid Practice Fields
The BLS does not track salaries for individual practice fields. However, other resources conduct compensation surveys and have identified the following highly paid practice areas:
Patent Law
Patent lawyers have a higher-than-average salary because those who practice before the U.S. Patent Office must be admitted to the patent bar. To become a patent lawyer, a lawyer must have an engineering or science degree and a law degree. They also must pass both the state bar exam and the patent bar exam. Very few lawyers are qualified to become patent lawyers.
These lawyers are in high demand. They help clients ranging from garage inventors to multinational corporations protect their inventions, and as a result, they can often charge premium fees for their services.
In-House Corporate Attorneys
Many lawyers aim to go in-house. In-house lawyers are hired as employees to work for a single client. Corporations are usually highly selective about the in-house lawyers they hire and pay accordingly. In-house lawyers often earn perks like stock options and 401(k) retirement accounts, boosting their incomes.
These lawyers typically oversee outside law firms rather than doing the work themselves. For example, an in-house lawyer at a casino operator might oversee the outside law firms defending the company from slip and fall lawsuits.
Litigators
Litigators are the lawyers who go to court. They are often in high demand because courtroom skills can make the difference between a win and a loss. Good litigators can find ways of saving their clients money by negotiating fair settlements that reduce the time and expense of trials.
Litigators who handle mass torts, like claims against asbestos or tobacco companies, can earn high incomes without seeking payment from their clients. In class actions and multidistrict litigations, the settlement goes into a common fund for the victims to share. The court sets aside a portion of the fund to pay the lawyers rather than forcing them to collect from each client.
Compensation For Lawyers
Lawyer compensation depends on many factors, including practice area, experience, and seniority. Higher-paid lawyers will usually have the skills and knowledge to handle your case successfully.
Contact the Gretna Personal Injury Lawyers of The Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC for Help Today
If you were injured in an accident in Metairie or Gretna, Louisiana, and need legal help, contact our personal injury attorneys at The Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC, to schedule a free case review today.
We serve Jefferson Parish County and Louisiana’s surrounding Areas
The Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC – Metairie, LA Office
2901 N Causeway Blvd, STE 202
Metairie, LA, 70002
(504) 500-5000
The Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC – Gretna, LA Office
