a good firm makes around $115,000 per year, which I might, add is not bad at all to say the least. The other factor is whether or not you are good at being a lawyer. The largest benefit in this career is probably the money, but a benefit can be if you handle pressure well or not, and if being a lawyer is something you really want to do. The reason for that is the demands are very high. You must be willing to work irregular and long hours, and be able to work well under pressure, especially when a case is being tried. But a negative aspect is that it can be very hazardous to your mental state because of all the pressure and stress you must deal with.As time goes on, and eventually by the time you can retire, your situation again can largely depend on whether you work privately or not. Either way things will get better as time goes on, but the paces will be different. For example, in a private firm, you may have a very slow start where you may have to work other jobs to keep the income steady. But in a larger firm, you will probably start out faster. Also, later in your career, you may want to become a judge, seeing that most judges were once lawyers. A plus in a private firm is that you can retire early if wanted, or you can exceed the retirement age and keep working.I personally feel that being a lawyer would be a great experience, not just because of the money, but you would get to interact with many different kinds of people. I would really enjoy this job because I like the challenge, and I perform very well under pressure.Sources: American Salaries & Wages Survey, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Peterson's Guide to Four Year Colleges, and a special thanks to Mr. James Ward, for letting me interview him....
