EARNINGS OF HARVARD LAW GRADUATES SHOWN

Robert Cutler, member of the law firm of Herrick, Smith, Donald & Farley, Boston, has published in his recent report as secretary of the Harvard Law School class of 1922 a compilation of the net professional earnings of the members of his class approximately ten years after their graduation. His figures show that the average earnings of the men who reported were $9,898.50 in 1931; $8,902.99 in 1932; and $8,914.40 in 1933.

It appears that the members of the class who practised in New York City had the largest average incomes in 1931 and 1933, but were surpassed in 1932 by the men on the Pacific coast, who ranked second in point of income in 1931 and 1933. The practitioners in the Atlantic Coast States, excluding New York and New England, were in third place in 1931, but the Boston lawyers were third in 1932 and 1933.

It should be said that only about one third of the members of the class. 90 in 279, reported their earnings to the secretary. Experience in similar cases has shown that the men who have the largest incomes are willing to state their earnings, but those who have earned smaller sums are reluctant to give the information. Consequently it seems not unlikely that that the average earnings of all of the members of the class were less than the figures reported.

Professional expenses, but not income taxes, were deducted in the returns of net earnings.