Asked for a raise after 6 months Forum

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Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Feb 16, 2018 9:05 pm

I asked for a raise after six months. Is this too soon? I sent the email today and I feel kind of ridiculous. I am not checking my email for now. I am a first year associate in Texas who just recently passed the bar. I make $50k based on a 40 hour workweek. That's not possible. Even though I work efficiently and quickly than most, I end up working 50-55 hours, if not more. I am supposed to get to work at 9 am but I arrive at 6:30-7 am, and I don't leave until 6:30-7 pm sometimes. I am never compensated for the overtime because he doesn't expect me to work over 40 hours. At least once a week he tells me that I'm working too hard and that I need to have a life outside of work. He acknowledges that I'm a hard worker and says that I'm doing a "great job."

What's the worst that could happen? Will he lose respect for me? If he says no, I'll stop working overtime. By the way, I just want $6,000 more per year just to be able to make ends meet. I think it's fair. He previously told me that if I ever feel overwhelmed, to let him know, and he'll hire an extra associate. I think that what I'm asking for is much more cheaper than a new associate.

RaceJudicata

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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by RaceJudicata » Fri Feb 16, 2018 11:42 pm

You are a lawyer. You aren’t going to get paid overtime. Check out FLSA exemptions.

Anonymous User
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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Feb 17, 2018 12:14 am

Well I'm not asking for overtime. I'm just asking for a 12% raise.

RaceJudicata

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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by RaceJudicata » Sat Feb 17, 2018 12:47 am

You mention overtime and a “40 hour work week” like 3 or 4 times. Not sure what the significance of a 40 hour week or working “overtime” is you have no interest in overtime comp. you don’t feel that you are being paid enough for your job - that’s fine - but don’t base it off a 40 hour work week. Very few lawyers work those hours.

s1m4

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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by s1m4 » Sat Feb 17, 2018 12:52 am

I received a bump after I passed the bar - I think thats OK - mention that you are now a licensed attorney.

Also 50k is pebbles, so I think you are justified in asking for a raise!

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whyohwhy080

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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by whyohwhy080 » Sat Feb 17, 2018 3:40 pm

He replied. He said he'd be happy to meet and discuss the raise with me, and that I'm a helpful employee blah blah blah. That being said, he said don't get my hopes up about a "significant raise at this moment" because he has to take the firm's finances into consideration. He's a solo practitioner.

Asking for a 12% raise ($500 extra per month) is not significant is it? I mean, how much will that really affect him?

Bimmerfan

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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by Bimmerfan » Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:29 pm

That’s $500 out of his pocket each month and into yours. I wouldn’t count on it... one of the downfalls of working at a small firm or solo.

Anonymous User
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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Feb 17, 2018 10:51 pm

Should I start looking for a new job? It may be too soon but I can't stand to live with parents anymore.

lagamemnon

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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by lagamemnon » Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:27 pm

threads like this are the reason I still check this site.

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Anonymous User
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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:37 pm

What do you mean?

Anonymous User
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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:39 pm

Am I going to get canned?

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AVBucks4239

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Re: Asked for a raise after 6 months

Post by AVBucks4239 » Mon Feb 19, 2018 4:17 pm

I work for another solo. Calm down, you're fine, but my humble opinion is that you need to completely change your paradigm here.

To preface, do not base anything on your salary negotiation about working more than 40 hours per week. Maybe "I've been putting in a lot of hours to meet client demands," but don't mention the number 40 hours.

Second, you need to understand that a solo attorney/small firm is OBSESSED with fixed monthly costs. You might see a bunch of money coming through the door, but just remember that your boss is responsible for rent, income taxes, payroll taxes, your salary, staff, costs of supplies, costs of obtaining records, bar dues, malpractice insurance, renting the office equipment, etc. All this needs to be paid before your boss makes a dime.

Third, and because of point two, you may be much better off negotiating for a percentage of receipts rather than an increase in salary. This keeps your boss's fixed costs low and also gives him or her the not so subtle hint that you are going to hustle to earn money. This also will likely eventually end up making you more money than a 12% salary raise anyway.

To provide you with my anecdotal example, my boss initially offered $50,000 plus I keep 10% of my originating receipts. After negotiations (which we did mostly in person), I ended up with a salary of $55,000, keep 25% of my originating receipts, keep 20% of general receipts above 1.5x my salary, and keep 20% of contingency fee receipts of which I am the primary billing attorney. I also negotiated the ability to work from home (which I am doing now), being able to join other business ventures if I please, and perhaps setting up a retirement plan within 6-9 months of my start date.

It is mid-February and my incentive pay has totaled about $1,400 over 3 (of 26) paychecks, and I'm just getting the ball rolling. These will be a lot more when I cross the 1.5x my salary threshold. I'm also in line to settle a pretty big PI case by the end of the year, and 20% of those fees will be probably $8,000 (meaning my boss will keep $32,000 for basically doing nothing except meeting with the client when she first came in...not a bad deal for her).

Maybe look into negotiating a similar model for yourself, and phrase it to your boss with his or her goals in mind. "Well, I was originally thinking a salary increase, but since you mentioned the firm's financials, I'd alternatively like to propose perhaps me keeping a modest percentage of receipts. For example, for my own clients, I can keep 20% of receipts. Also, for receipts I generate above 2x my salary, I keep 10% of the receipts."

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