There was a recent discussion on the forum about honest law firm salaries. I was wondering if something similar could be done for litigation. I know things will vary a lot with respect to practice in different Trial Courts/High Courts/Supreme Court/Tribunals, family legal background, practice area, etc. However, it'd be great if someone could tell how much fresh grads who begin their career under seniors (Senior advocates of generally mid aged council) get paid. (Do they get paid? How do they get paid - for the number of matters they work on or fixed salaries?). I heard only GS pays his juniors well, some don't even pay a stipend to grads. Want to clarify these aspects before taking a career call. Please tell if you know how much tier 1 NLU grads (does it even matter in litigation?) make based on the forum (Tribunal/Trial Court/HC/SC), practice area, city, with no legal background. Brownie points for giving senior specific/chamber specific figures. Thanks :)
Although not an employee myself, but one of my seniors from college working under one of the ASGs told me that he is being paid 35,000 pm and then other variable pay.
Zoheb is good but too junior to count him in this league. Mr Rao and Mr Rai are in a different league altogether, have briefed both in separate matters but you can tell how their juniors are also so involved with them, because they pay well and involve juniors at all stages. In fact, Mr Rao I think is the only one who encourages interns to speak up during conferences as well! Mr Dewan and Mr Mehta as well, but I think, overall, Mr Rao is amongst the coolest out there!
How much do litigators make? If I am an advocate with 4-5yr experience, taking my own cases, charging 20-30k per hearing in dhc and having 1-2 hearings a day, would I not be making 50-70L, much more than what corporate lawyers are paid.
Getting cases at a rate that allows you 2 hearings per day with 20-30k per hearing would require some very strong connections.
This may be an appropriate number for 8-10 years' practice. I have seen people with 7-8 years' experience, coming from a strong law-background (practically the entire fraternity knows them), and they were charging around this much. Some exceptions are there, of course, like if your father is a sitting judge in the court you practice in.
Every seems to based out of Delhi. Let's not get into depression by trying to ascertain salaries paid by top litigating lawyers in cosmopolitan cities. They pay a pittance !
Little & Co - 25K per month Rashmikant - 50K er month Wadia Ghandy - 40K per month Manilal Kher - 30K per month Clove Legal 25K per month Majmudar - 50K per month Kanga - 40K per month Dhruve Liladhar - 25K per month Hariani - 50 K per month Dave Girish - 20K per month Mulla & Mulla - 40K per month Vashi & Vashi - 40K per month Naik Naik - 50K per month Markand Gandhi - 25K per month
Counsel chambers - most don't pay anything at all, with freedom to take your own briefs. Jamal may be paying something, am not sure.
Appellate Side Counsel (Anturkar, Dhakephalkar, Kamdar, Maneshinde, Amit Desai) may be paying 10K-15K with freedom to take your own briefs (but corresponding obligation to assist the senior)
I heard only GS pays his juniors well, some don't even pay a stipend to grads. Want to clarify these aspects before taking a career call. Please tell if you know how much tier 1 NLU grads (does it even matter in litigation?) make based on the forum (Tribunal/Trial Court/HC/SC), practice area, city, with no legal background. Brownie points for giving senior specific/chamber specific figures. Thanks :)
Shyam Diwan, Harin P. Rawal, Arvind Nigam etc. pay around 25-30k pm to a fresher, with liberty to take up personal cases.
Amit Sibal pays around 1.25 lakhs per month to a fresh joinee, with liberty to take up personal cases.
Litigating lawyers earn a lot. If you join a good office with a humane senior, you will get enough and more for survival and sustenance.
Most of them will pay you a bonus like fee over and above the monthly fixed fee basis the work that you do.
Mr Rao and Mr Rai are in a different league altogether, have briefed both in separate matters but you can tell how their juniors are also so involved with them, because they pay well and involve juniors at all stages. In fact, Mr Rao I think is the only one who encourages interns to speak up during conferences as well!
Mr Dewan and Mr Mehta as well, but I think, overall, Mr Rao is amongst the coolest out there!
Can someone please clarify and substantiate.
This may be an appropriate number for 8-10 years' practice. I have seen people with 7-8 years' experience, coming from a strong law-background (practically the entire fraternity knows them), and they were charging around this much. Some exceptions are there, of course, like if your father is a sitting judge in the court you practice in.
Could you mention some more, please?
"Pure Lit" law firms -
Little & Co - 25K per month
Rashmikant - 50K er month
Wadia Ghandy - 40K per month
Manilal Kher - 30K per month
Clove Legal 25K per month
Majmudar - 50K per month
Kanga - 40K per month
Dhruve Liladhar - 25K per month
Hariani - 50 K per month
Dave Girish - 20K per month
Mulla & Mulla - 40K per month
Vashi & Vashi - 40K per month
Naik Naik - 50K per month
Markand Gandhi - 25K per month
Counsel chambers - most don't pay anything at all, with freedom to take your own briefs. Jamal may be paying something, am not sure.
Appellate Side Counsel (Anturkar, Dhakephalkar, Kamdar, Maneshinde, Amit Desai) may be paying 10K-15K with freedom to take your own briefs (but corresponding obligation to assist the senior)