Lawyer Salaries

First, let's discuss the price you must pay to become a lawyer. To become a lawyer, one must first pass the YKS (Higher Education Institutions Examination). Of course, there are exceptions. For instance, there are "justice warriors." What is a "justice warrior"? I've heard that a method has evolved: you study a two-year justice program. It's even possible to study through distance learning. Then you take the vertical transfer exam and switch to law. Oh, how wonderful. I call these individuals "justice warriors." A friend of mine did something similar; they gained admission to a private university for business administration, just one point above the threshold. A year later, they simply transferred to law through an inter-departmental transfer. Apparently, there were common courses between law and business administration! Anyway, if you can't find a way to circumvent the YKS like this, you must pass this challenging exam to gain admission to law school.

Let's say you've gained admission to law school. How many years is law school? Four. Extending it to five years also comes up occasionally. For four years, you need to study at least as hard as you did for the YKS. Why? Because in our country, legal education is nothing more than a meaningless memorization exercise! Your four years are spent memorizing thousands of pages of information that can be accessed online in a few seconds. The British did something similar in colonial India. They would force students to memorize logarithmic tables so that thoughts of freedom or independence wouldn't cross their minds. What the British did under the guise of colonialism, we are doing under the name of education. Almost our entire education system is based on rote learning, but law is its pinnacle, its apotheosis.

So, law school is over, but are the troubles over? Of course not. Those who started law school this year will take the entrance exam for legal professions four years later. We can anticipate that this exam, to be taken among individuals, each a law school graduate, will be at least as challenging as the YKS.

You've finished law school. You've successfully passed the exam. The traineeship period begins. Let's hear Cem Yılmaz's definition of a trainee.

Trainee lawyering is indeed a period comparable to servitude. Even finding a place for an internship is very difficult. Why? Because experience is sought. Yes, you heard that right. Experience is sought in someone who has just graduated from law school and is supposed to gain experience during their traineeship. This is because most law school students work in law firms. Anyway, let's say you manage to find a traineeship position. Do you know what the average trainee lawyer salaries you'll receive are? \the minimum fee determined by the Minimum Attorneyship Wage Tariff (AAÜT). In exchange for this amount, which is below the minimum wage, you endure a very challenging year performing all sorts of menial tasks. When I was a trainee, UYAP (National Judicial Network Project) was not yet widespread. I would deliver petitions from courthouse to courthouse like a postman. I would tour Istanbul daily, going through Çağlayan, Bakırköy, Kartal. Oh, those were the days...

What Are the Salaries for Newly Qualified Lawyers?

Let's say you've overcome all these hurdles. You passed the YKS, studied law for four years, passed the entrance exam for legal professions, completed your traineeship, and started your legal career. Do you know what the salaries for newly qualified lawyers are? \the minimum fee determined by the Minimum Attorneyship Wage Tariff (AAÜT). In other words, the salary you'll receive after paying all these costs is just slightly above the minimum wage.

How Much Do Lawyers Earn?

It's difficult to state definitively the earnings of lawyers with their own practices. There is no upper limit, nor is there a lower limit. A portion of the Bar Association's advisory fee schedule is provided above, serving as an example of the income lawyers earn per case. We can say that average legal fees are around these figures. Fees also vary depending on the branch of law, for example, whether one consults a divorce lawyer or a labor law attorney.

Dreams and Realities in the Legal Profession

As with all goods and services, the value of the legal profession has decreased as supply has increased. The number of lawyers is increasing uncontrollably day by day. The "a university in every province" campaign, while initially seeming beneficial, has led to serious negative consequences. Especially for law faculty graduates. Since law faculties can be established without requiring any technical equipment and are in demand, a law faculty was added to every newly opened university.

In 2005, when I started law school, the number of law faculties was 31; it has now reached 135. That is, it has increased by more than 4 times. The increase in law faculty quotas is an additional factor. The number of lawyers, which was 81,000 in 2013, has now exceeded 150,000. In other words, the number of lawyers doubled in 7 years. This figure is expected to reach 220,000 by 2026, the year those who started law school last year will graduate.

When lawyers became so ubiquitous, the value of the legal profession naturally diminished. The chasm between dreams and realities in the legal profession is widening day by day. Don't dream of becoming a rich lawyer, carrying a Chanel bag, and driving a Mercedes!

While dreams are like this…

Realities can be like this…

Aren't there very wealthy lawyers? Of course, there are. There are lawyers who appear on the list of top taxpayers. According to the statement by the President of the Union of Bar Associations, 92% of the income generated from lawyering in Istanbul is shared by 50 law firms. This means that, as in almost every profession, there is a significant injustice in income distribution within the legal profession. If you believe you can become a partner in one of these 50 firms, then by all means, we welcome you. However, the odds don't look very favorable.

I absolutely have no intention of discouraging you from lawyering or dampening your enthusiasm. Or do I? We need to make a living too, don't we? What will become of us if 20,000 lawyers join the profession every year? Are we supposed to sell petitions on the street?

Advantages of Studying Law and Practicing Law

Jokes aside, one of the good aspects of the legal profession is that your financial situation improves over the years. If you can open your own firm and achieve a satisfactory income after paying the costs I've described and overcoming the obstacles, it is indeed a rewarding profession. Knowing your rights in every aspect of life, being able to help your client secure their rights, setting your own working hours, and working independently are all positive aspects.

If you genuinely believe you will enjoy practicing law and have an interest in this field, I recommend studying law and becoming a lawyer. However, if you are entering this path because you believe there is job security or that lawyer salaries are high, I absolutely do not recommend it. Because the estimated income you can achieve is very, very little compared to the price you will pay. Furthermore, I am of the opinion that transitioning to law because you couldn't find a job in another profession is not sensible at all. Of course, I know how widespread unemployment is in our country and how difficult it is to find a job, no matter how qualified you are. However, the situation in law is not much different anymore. If you were to direct 6 years of intensive effort, including the YKS and traineeship, towards your own profession, you would undoubtedly achieve better results.

Despite all this discouragement, if you still become a lawyer, I will deploy my secret weapon. I've prepared an advertisement for tough times. I'll have it broadcast on all televisions and put an end to your careers.

If you still haven't been deterred from lawyering, you can submit your questions and comments regarding lawyer salaries and studying law below.

Av. Mehmet Yücesoy

İzmir Attorney & Legal Consultancy