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First, I don't know that lawyers are at the top of the pay heap
and I will defend lawyers if necessary.
We sure appreciate it. Meanwhile we smile at lawyer jokes. Starting salaries for young associates at big firms in Chicago--we're talking about kids who are mostly 25 years old--just topped 90G. I could probably get 120 with another 20 as a clerkship bonus. Of course for thjat kind of money you don't have a life. You work 14 hours a day on short days. And this sort of dough is mainly available for folks from fancy schools or who are at the top of their class, have high powered federal judicial clerkships, etc. Still, it's a lotta dough. Public interest work pays around 25-30.
Thus a lawyer can be very
valuable when he holds the key to influence in the judicial system.
What, you mean a Roy Cohn lawyer who doesn't know the law but knows the judge?
A
design engineer may hold the key to getting intellectual property rights.
No, it's the lawyer who gets you those.
--jks