Not A Real Entry: Financial in Book Four: Ichi-no-Tani 2017

The stereotype about lawyers is that “Lawyers are wealthy”
The unfortunate truth is that such a claim is “hit or miss” at best.
While there are lawyers who “don’t get out of bed for less than $10,000 an hour”,
the majority of lawyers in this country make between $40,000 and $120,000.
Certainly not something to ignore or speak poorly about.
After all, there are many who would sacrifice much for such a financial opportunity.
But there is (or should be) some understanding on why Lawyers honestly should be wealthy.

CLIENT
Gives $500,000 to a company that promised delivery. Delivery does not come. Lawsuit for $500,000 in damages. The firm could go on a contingency basis… and hope to receive $50,000 to be split between all lawyers and all worked hours. But the opposite of that is (1) if you lose, nobody gets paid; (2) there is always the risk that the contingency won’t accurately cover costs; and (3) if the client wants to settle, the firm is now financially injured by the client’s decision. So, you charge on hourly. But in order for the firm to bill the “high number of Contingency” they would need to amass a total of 2,500 hours of work. Even if people were working 10 hour days with no other cases, it would take over 8 months to reach that.

All of that to say… (in the above-referenced matter)… you have people working their asses off to re-claim an amount of money they’ll likely never see in their lifetime. To turn it extreme.... that is like someone whose family needs food using his energy to make sure the Sultan doesn’t lose any loaves of bread and being paid in a slice or two of old bread.

Another example that I’ve mentioned before and is becoming a daily thing.....

CLIENT
Newly arrived College Student from China. Arrested for Drunk Driving. 3:45 a.m. and the kid blows a 0.24. His car blue books in at between $50,000 to $75,000. When he is searched, he has several thousand dollars in cash in his wallet. His passenger is asked to step out of the car. A College Aged Chinese Girl whose outfit doesn’t have enough material to justify it’s 3 figure expense. The shoes alone probably retail for between $95 to $200. The driver is looking at a violation of 321J.2. Typical penalty is 2 days in jail, fine of $1250, court costs, revocation of Driver’s License, Drinking Driver’s School, and a Substance Abuse Evaluation. For a Non-Citizen… they actually don’t face deportation on this but do get their visa taken away.
To protect the client from these consequences? Our firm requests $2,000 to begin working on the case. That covers 10 hours of work. Any more than that, and we’ll charge what we worked.
So… yeah. Compare me with that client.
Newly arrived College Student from China vs. Native Born American Citizen
Arrested for Drunk Driving vs. Never Been Arrested For Anything Ever
His car blue books in at between $50,000 to $75,00 vs. my car is a year over due on a recall noticeand my Blue Book Value is $3,000 to $5,000.
When he is searched, he has several thousand dollars in cash in his wallet vs. If I was searched, I’d have zero cash, change, and just a debit card I use sparingly.
When his passenger is asked to leave the car, a college aged Chinese Girl wearing skimpy and extraordinarily expensive clothes vs. if my wife was in the car, a 37 year old German wearing a Good Will outfit of baggy pants and a ratty polo shirt.

And while I bust my ass to make sure this kid stays in the country so he can recklessly spend the several hundred thousand dollars that he doesn’t care about.... the payment for that hard work is (typically, at best) $300.

I know I’m just bitching… and about something that I’ve already said I’m going to “suck it up and deal with” for a full calendar year.... but it is certainly a big element of my life right now.