INSEE, the French statistical agency, just came out with a report on the earnings of French professionals.

The report confirmed much of what I’ve long thought about the economics of the legal profession in France. The takeaway points:

  • Most legal professionals are in the Paris area or on the Mediterranean coast.
  • In 2007, average earnings were € 61,000. In the Paris area, the 2007 average earnings were € 70,000.
  • In 2007, median earnings were € 40,900. There was significant earnings disparity. The earnings ratio between the third quartile and the median for legal professionals was 2.16, but only 1.37 for private-sector white-collar workers.
  • The average age of legal professionals is 44, and 44% of them are women. Among legal professionals under 45, 54% are women.
  • Despite the feminization of the legal professions, earnings disparity between men and women is huge: men start out earning more than women, and their earning premium increases over time. After 25 years experience, male legal professionals have multiplied their annual earnings by 2.3; with the same experience, the multiplier for women is 1.7.

INSEE uses definitions that, for me, complicate comparisons. What I call “earnings” are an artificial construct, between a salaried worker’s gross and take-home pay. “Legal professionals” include lawyers, but also notaries (who officiate real estate conveyances), auctioneers, bailiffs, and court reporters.