Salaries for legal jobs in Connecticut could rise

Posted on November 5, 2013

The average salaries for legal jobs in Connecticut may climb in 2014, according to Robert Half’s salary guide.

The salaries are projected are projected to increase 2.7 percent overall in 2014, according to the just-released Robert Half Legal 2014 Salary Guide.

The largest gains in annual base compensation are anticipated for lawyers, paralegals and legal secretaries at midsize and small-to-midsize law firms. Legal specialists with litigation support and compliance administration expertise also should see greater-than-average salary gains.

Robert Half Legal is a legal staffing firm specializing in lawyers, paralegals and other highly skilled legal professionals. The company’s annual Salary Guide is based on extensive research, as well as local and national employment data gathered from Robert Half Legal offices throughout North America.

Average starting salaries for lawyers at law firms are expected to increase 3.1 percent in 2014. Lawyers with four to nine years’ experience at a midsize law firm (35-75 lawyers) will see the greatest gains in compensation. Starting salaries for this position are expected to increase 4.8 percent, to the average range of $124,750 to $187,500 annually. Lawyers with 10-plus years’ experience at small-to-midsize law firms (10-35 lawyers) will see starting salaries rise 4.5 percent, to the range of $124,750 to $179,000 per year. First-year associates at small-to-midsize law firms will earn between $61,000 and $86,250, a 3.0 percent increase from 2013 projections.

Law firms are expected to see paralegal salary increases of 2.4 percent in 2014. Senior/supervising paralegals with seven-plus years’ experience at a midsize law firm should see average starting salaries rise by 3.9 percent, to the range of $62,750 to $77,250 annually.

Legal secretaries at law firms can expect average starting salaries to increase 2.3 percent in 2014. Senior/executive legal secretaries with 12-plus years’ experience at small law firms will see the highest starting salaries in the range of $45,250 to $58,500 per year, a 3.0 percent increase from 2013.

Starting salaries for legal professionals with litigation support expertise are predicted to rise 3.6 percent, on average. Litigation support directors with 10-plus years’ experience should see starting salaries increase by 4.6 percent, to the range of $91,500 to $117,750.