What makes a Lawyer Expensive?

The bigger and in the more expensive the lawyer's office the bigger will be his fees, he will cover the office expenses from Client Billings. The Lawyer will pay his secretary/receptionist, his paralegals, mortgage/rent/utilities all from the fees he collects.

The lawyer's office is run on client billings, so if he has a bad month but the bills will not stop and he has to continuously work to pay all of his staff. If a client has too much at stake he will hire the lawyer with the best office and staff, he wants to be assured in his mind that he is hiring the lawyer with the best office and workplace to handle his case. In all honesty, a lawyer can perform all the work with a small cubicle and no staff, but when his or her practice grows one can still keep a moderate office, but others go lavish to show the image of success. In the long run, it pays off or in some cases, it may not, but all the expenditure will come from client billings this thing should be clear in everyone's mind.

In the US alone the hourly rate for a lawyer can go from 50 dollars an hour to several thousands of dollars. It depends upon the lawyer as to how much money he intends upon charging his client. On contingency cases, most lawyers will set their fee at 33.33% and it will be rare that a lawyer will fight a case for free.

In the US alone  36 % of lawyers get success and it may differ from country to country. But on the pyramid of success, the top lawyers who represent the biggest clients are only very few. In every case the stress is on the lawyer also, as he takes the client fees it becomes his obligation to represent the client to the best.

A good lawyer will make more than a physician, there is no doubt but to reach that top position takes time and nothing is overnight. For that to happen the lawyer will need to have a stable and professional working environment where his staff knows every detail and has been with him for years rather than a revolving staff. Where the lawyer is engaged in cases every day.

In the US the state that pays lawyers the most is New York followed by California. One in ten graduates from the US will never pass the Bar Exam. Keep in mind one can take the Bar Exam as many times as one likes. A better lawyer will choose the better cases to bring into the court so his winning chances get better. A lawyer will have to develop his reading skills if he wants to be the best lawyer. The more he will read the better his skills will become. Many clients have high expectations from their lawyers and this develops into stress for the lawyer.

In the US the lawyers get paid the money as they develop specialized knowledge and skills for their job. In the law profession the older the lawyer the more respect he will gain, and in many cases lawyers work after their retirement age passes. They postpone their retirement. A good lawyer should have good listening skills and clear articulation of their legal writing skills.