Commonly asked overtime pay law questions about lawyers:
- What Is a Lawyer?
- What is the Salary Range for a Lawyer?
- How Many Lawyers Are Nationally Employed?
- Where Are Most Lawyers Employed?
- Lawyer Overtime Pay Lawsuit News
- Is a Lawyer Entitled to Overtime Pay from the Law Firm?
- Can a Salaried Attorney Sue His Firm or Company for Unpaid Overtime?
- Lawyer Overtime Pay Lawyer Review
What Is a Lawyer?
Lawyers represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. They may specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.
What is the Salary Range for a Lawyer?
Depending on the work setting and state, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted that in 2016, 80% of lawyers made between $56,910 to $208,000, with the average annual salary being approximately $118,160.
How Many Lawyers Are Nationally Employed?
According to the United States Department of Labor, employment estimate and mean wage estimates for lawyers are as follows:
| Employment | Employment RSE* | Mean Hourly Wage | Mean Annual Wage | Wage RSE |
| 619,530 | 0.7% | $67.25 | $139,880 | 0.6% |
*RSE: The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
According to the United States Department of Labor, the percentile wage estimates for a lawyer is as follows:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $27.36 | $37.30 | $56.81 | $84.89 | $100.00 |
Where Are Most Lawyers Employed?
According to the United States Department of Labor, states with the highest employment level of lawyers are as follows:
| State | Employment | Employment Per Thousand Jobs | Location Quotient | Hourly Mean Wage | Annual Mean Wage |
| California | 76,840 | 4.81 | 1.09 | $77.89 | $162,010 |
| New York | 72,760 | 8.00 | 1.81 | $77.53 | $161,260 |
| Florida | 47,590 | 5.79 | 1.31 | $63.46 | $131,990 |
| Texas | 43,240 | 3.68 | 0.83 | $71.83 | $149,400 |
| District of Columbia | 31,470 | 44.81 | 10.16 | $87.89 | $182,810 |
Lawyer Overtime Pay Lawsuit News
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Is a Lawyer Entitled to Overtime Pay from the Law Firm?
Yes, a lawyer may be entitled to overtime pay from the law firm they work for, unless otherwise exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). If you believe you have been wrongfully denied overtime, the best option is to contact an experienced overtime pay attorney who can advise you on your rights.
According to the FLSA, if you have a law degree, but have not passed the bar exam; or if you are currently employed in a non-legal position you might be eligible to recover back pay or unpaid overtime from your employer.
Can a Salaried Attorney Sue His Firm or Company for Unpaid Overtime?
Yes, a salaried attorney may be able to sue his firm or company for unpaid overtime, unless otherwise exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Typically a salaried attorney who earns more than $100,000 per year are generally ineligible to sue and considered exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
However, lower paid lawyers are usually subject to the FLSA’s “professional exemption” which covers anyone who performs work “requiring advanced knowledge, defined as work which is predominately intellectual in character and which includes work requiring the consistent exercise of judgment or discretion.”
There are strict time limitations for filing a claim so it is important that you discuss your case in a timely manner. If you wait too long, you may lose your ability to recover some or all of your back pay. An experienced lawyer overtime pay attorney can determine whether you are entitled to overtime wages based upon your job description, job duties, rate of pay, and number of hours worked.
Some states have their own overtime pay laws that may be slightly different from the FLSA with respect to overtime pay for lawyers. An experienced overtime pay attorney can determine whether you are entitled to overtime wages based upon your job description, job duties, rate of pay, and number of hours worked. There are strict time deadlines for filing lawsuits so it is essential that you contact an attorney immediately.
To determine whether you are eligible for filing a wage claim, contact our experienced lawyer overtime pay lawyers at (855) 754-2795 for a Free Consultation to discuss your case or complete the Free Unpaid Overtime Case Review Form on this page. We will discuss your situation and determine if you have a claim. If you are owed unpaid wages, we will represent you under our No Fee Promise, which means there are never any legal fees or costs unless you receive a settlement.
Lawyer Overtime Pay Lawyer Review
