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Spending & Earning

Big Law’s $245,000 Pay Blunts Student Worries About Trump Attacks

Law students with heavy debt burdens are stepping into an industry that’s in the president’s crosshairs.

Law school applications are up 23% so far this cycle compared with last year.

Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg

Takeaways NEW

Thousands of students a year from top US law schools flock to white-shoe law firms, which dangle starting pay of roughly $245,000 in exchange for long hours and intense demands from corporate clients.

For many, that tradeoff has been worth it — at least for short time — to get out from an average debt load of $118,000.