Starting salary of 6 billion/year, students in 'hot' majors accept working 13 hours/day

Law in the UK and Europe attracts a large number of students each year thanks to the quality of training and attractive career opportunities. However, behind the starting salary of up to 172,000 pounds/year (nearly 6 billion VND) at American law firms in London is harsh work pressure and the risk of burnout.

Leah Steele, a former lawyer living and working in Bristol, decided to quit her job in mid-2017. At that time, she had 12 years of experience working in large and small law firms. According to The Guardian, the job left Steele feeling exhausted. There were times when she worked 50 hours in 4 days, obsessed with emails to clients, and slept only 4 hours.

King's College Chapel at Cambridge University - the famous law school in the UK. (Photo: British Express)

The work culture at law firms in the UK has been controversial since the tragic case of female lawyer Vanessa Ford in 2023. According to Women's Agenda, while working with the company to acquire Everton FC, she worked up to 18 hours a day, leaving almost no time for her family. Police said she climbed over the Dalston Lane bridge, onto the railway tracks and was hit by a train. She had previously drunk heavily to overcome a psychological crisis.

In fact, the Law major in Europe attracts many students every year. According to the QS 2021 rankings, 151 European universities are in the list of the top 320 universities for Law. Of these, the UK has the largest number with 35 schools. In Ireland, the Business, Management and Law group has the second highest number of international students nationwide, with 6,170 students.

In addition to the quality of training, open opportunities and attractive income are also reasons to attract students. Some American law firms, with operations in London, offer starting salaries of up to 172,000 pounds (nearly 6 billion VND). Meanwhile, British companies offer lower salaries (around 150,000 pounds).

Many new graduates entering the Law program have to work up to 13 hours a day. (Illustration: Freepik)

To earn such generous salaries, interns and junior lawyers must make trade-offs. Legal Cheek, a legal news website, surveyed 2,000 employees working in London law firms and found that they spend up to 13 hours a day working, nearly double the average in the UK.

Not only in terms of time, many people have gradually become accustomed to eating quickly, ordering food from delivery units, taking work calls in the middle of the night or even on holidays. “ It’s been three months, I’ve barely seen the sunlight,” one employee lamented.

Of course, not all law firms require such extreme working hours. Some limit their hours to nine hours a day—still higher than the UK average of 7.3. “Billable hours” have long been a common measure of productivity in the industry, with an average of around 2,000 hours a year. In the US, that figure can be as high as 2,400 at some firms. But a growing number of lawyers are pushing back, arguing that productivity should be measured by other criteria than just hours worked.

In the UK, many companies have introduced controversial mental health support policies for their employees – including gym memberships, yoga classes, helplines and pet-friendly workplaces. The government has also proposed a “right to switch off” – allowing employees to disconnect after work, with no outside contact allowed by employers.

Despite the high workload, many employees say they have gotten used to the routine. Some are always available to answer the phone and handle work — even on vacation.

(Source: Vietnamnet)

Link: https://vietnamnet.vn/luong-khoi-diem-6-ty-nam-cu-nhan-nganh-hot-chap-nhan-lam-viec-13-gio-ngay-2393477.html

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/luong-khoi-diem-6-ty-nam-sinh-vien-nganh-hot-chap-nhan-lam-viec-13-gio-ngay-ar939359.html