C.O.D.

My firm just announced new billing rates. Since I should be switching levels next year, my billing rate should be about $475/hour. If I bill the minimum required number of hours, that means the firm will book just shy of $1M in receivables from my work. Yet, they will pay me less than 20% of that amount. Granted, with taxes, benefits, and overhead, such as an office to practice in and staff to help me and to collect those receivables, the cost is probably double my salary, that still leaves a nice, big, phat (thx lbck) 60+% profit margin. And they are passing along part of the cost increases in the form of my health and dental benefits. I'd say, it's high time for an adjustment in this crazy ponzi scheme.

Jawbitch is hiring a new doctor for her practice. Of course, an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon doesn't come cheap. The starting salary she plans to offer runs in the neighborhood of $150-200K, fresh out of the training program.

Michelle: Tell me why a first year associate should make $125 and a first year doctor doesn't? I have a ex-brother law who's a peditrican, and my uncle is a district attorney I know how much both of them make, and I have to say I think my brother in law earns his money.

G-man: Not all first year doctors receive less than the lawyers. Then again, a doctor's training is much longer, and if you ask me, they have much more at stake (as in, a person's life, unlike lawyers, who usually are just protecting rich people's riches). So I guess the answer seems to be that, in this country, we value money more than lives.