re: Life as a Lawyer Advice Needed

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Even a small town lawyer with his own firm billing at $150/hour would easily hit that billing 1500 hours a year.

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That's 225k gross.

For a small town attorney to bill 1500, you're likely looking at a receptionist and secretary/paralegal. Assuming he's not shady and doesn't make them ICs, that's 70-90k in terms of salary, employer taxes, WC, etc.

Right there with no overhead, you're at 135-150k.

Then there is malpractice (3k), rent (12-30k), supplies, CLEs, equipment, etc.

That's also assuming you're paid 100% on those 1500 hours and I would imagine actual collection for a small firm would turn 1500 billed hours into 1200-1300 paid hours in the best year.

*ETA: 1500 hours/year is also generous. I made a comment in a CLE a year or 2 ago that the city of Jennings has almost no lawyers who are not taking government money (DA salary, PD salary, PD contract, judge, etc.) to survive.