Posted by Do you know how much lawyers can earn in Malaysia? As a recruiter and having interviewed over 2,000 lawyers during the past six years, I’ve heard lots of things about compensation.
Of course it’s not all about money. But if you work round-the-clock, like lawyers often do, you expect to get paid accordingly.
In Malaysia lawyers make an average of RM 45,000 per year. The typical salary range for lawyers starts at RM24,000 per year and reaches RM300,000 per year. Factors like their geographic locations, experience level and specialty area impact lawyers’ earning potential.
Here are some tips to understand how much money lawyers make in Malaysia:
- Big law firms and boutique law firms pay more than other types of law firms. Tax and litigation lawyers working for those types of firms earn the highest salaries.
- Big law firms only hire graduates from specific universities.
- Outside the business district of the capital region salaries are definitely lower.The starting salary for a lawyer not based in Kuala Lumpur can go as low as RM2,000 net a month, whereas a first year associate from a big law firm can earn up to RM3,000 net a month. So far, we have not seen any other remunerated occupation where professionals exhibit such a wage gap in our country.
- Lawyers who do not make partners of their law firms will see their salaries stagnate, thus facilitating the up or out policy.
- The best career move (money-wise) for an associate in a top law firm is to switch at the right moment to a company.
- Lawyers employed by companies can be classified into deciles. The average monthly net base salary of the top decile is RM300,000 per year.
In conclusion, lawyers graduated from the two (or perhaps three) top ranking universities, who are fully bilingual, and have started their careers at a top-notch law firm and have later on moved to a company are the ones who get a better paycheck at the end of the month.
Check out the current available position in the legal industry.