"Typical lawyers" make well under $100k per year.
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Attorney_%2F_Lawyer/...
Average salaries are skewed because the top-end is so high. If you have all the bona fides (top-tier law school/clerking opportunities, high-paying specialty, good track record of winning cases) you can command an astronomical hourly rate.
However, the vast majority of lawyers don't get those opportunities, and are working schlubs just like the rest of us.
Re:Donate to Chelsea Manning's Legal Defense
by bmelton on Thursday July 16, 2015 @09:00AM
(#9896864)
That depends on your definition of typical, I suppose.
http://money.cnn.com/2014/07/15/pf/jobs/lawyer-salaries/
There's indeed a lot of potential to make third-house money as a lawyer, but it is by no means a given, and it seems a lot less likely than you think.
Re:Donate to Chelsea Manning's Legal Defense
by TallGuyShort on Thursday July 16, 2015 @10:24AM
(#9897381)
Making your original comment some what of a "No True Scotsman"
So obviously he is not the typical lawyer.