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Sweatshop LLP: Ross & Associates

When on the lookout for new Sweatshop LLPs, one thing definitely pings my radar: promises of 40-hour work weeks for a modest salary. When working at my Sweatshop LLP, I was assured of regular hours in exchange for my $50,000 salary. It turned out to not be the case, as regular readers will remember.

As such, so many firms offer $50,000 salaries in even the larger cities, that if I turned my attention to them all, this feature would cease to be of interest.

And then you get the ads for $30,000 per year for immigration attorneys in Boston, Massachusetts. Those, I think, certainly deserve a closer look. In fact, this one was so low, that I questioned posting it immediately; maybe they had mixed up "Associate" with "Administrative Assistant." Well, take a look for yourselves:

Associate, Immigration/Administrative Litigation (Boston-Back Bay) $30k/ possible bonus incentives/ 40 Hr week. Small growing law firm that provides legal services to refugees and immigrants. Opening for an associate to work in its Boston, MA offices. The associate will work with attorneys to produce high quality results for individuals and companies. Technical/detail oriented preferred. Fax Resume to 617-338-6262.

So I dashed off an email to Jeff Ross of Ross & Associates:

Dear Mr. Ross, I saw your job posting on Craigslist and was wondering if you were looking for an Associate or an Administrative Assistant? I was confused by the job title "Associate, Immigration/Administrative Litigation." Thank you for your assistance. Sincerely, Kristina

Simple, right? Well about a week has gone, and I haven't got a reply, so I'm assuming Mr. Ross is looking for an "associate" in the attorney sense of the word, unless he decides to subsequently correct me.

That being said, I bring you Ross & Associates:

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Some simple math to start:

First, let's turn to the salary: $30,000/year = $577/week = $14/hour (plus "possible bonus incentives"). Assume no bonuses to start. Assume no benefits, as the advertisement is silent on the matter. Chop a third of that for state and federal taxes, Social Security, etc. and you've got about $385 clear per week or $1,617 per month.

Assume your rent and utilities (gas, electric, water, phone) are $1,000 per month (on the low side for the Greater Boston area), your student loan is $500 per month (also quite low), and that you decide to forego extras like Internet and mobile phone service that most of us graduates seem to view as essentials.

You have $117 left for the month. $117 for food, transportation, and other necessaries. Managing this is near impossible unless you a) get another job on the side (hopefully they stick to that 40-hour per week promise!); b) defer that loan and accrue more interest, or c) resort to credit cards and go into deeper debt for awhile.

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Now more about Jeff Ross and Ross & Associates.

Last time, I was criticized a bit for not picking a "real" sweatshop. One with a crappy website, lousy credentials, etc. I don't know. I think working for no promised salary is enough to attain sweatshop standards, but many viewed it as working on a contingency basis and the payoff could be big in the future. Fair enough.

Check out this website, hmm? Now if the broken image links weren't enough, we get the Ross & Associates mission statement, vowing to "honorably serve the legal profession." Click randomly on the front page in order to learn more about Ross & Associates, which appears to be your standard immigration "boutique" firm, doing both business and family immigration cases.

On one hand, it sounds like a pro bono organization. But it's not. The site states: "The Law Offices of Ross & Associates is [sic] divided into complimentary [sic] practice areas with a concentration in Human Rights and U.S. Immigration Law. Each practice area works closely with one another to ensure the successful outcome of a client's matter."

Mr. Ross is not the best wordsmith to be sure. If you want the practice areas to converge and work together, then by all means, go to Ross Law.

But Ross & Associates isn't a pro bono firm, even if Mr. Ross "has represented on a pro bono basis individuals" and therefore, its salaries should not be lower than the average pro bono attorney or public interest advertisement in large cities.

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Jeff Ross ran for public office in my district, (the link to his campaign is still emblazoned on his outdated firm website) attempting to fill the vacated state senate seat left by Jarrett Barrios. I'm not criticizing Mr. Ross for being a public servant, nor for working in a number of community advocacy positions. His work in the public eye is admirable.

But...

If you've worked for civil rights and civil liberties, affordable housing, and issues of poverty and discrimination, can't you at least pay your associates a living wage?

If you work hard to champion the plight of the middle class, then do something about it; don't just shoot your mouth off. Pro bono or not, your employees should be fairly compensated for their labor.

Which is why it is shocking to read this on Mr. Ross' campaign website:

Massachusetts' working people are struggling to make ends meet these days and our middle class is disappearing. Workers are finding it more and more difficult to make a living for their families. [Emphasis added] Despite soaring productivity, the purchasing power of workers' wages is stuck 5 percent below where it was 30 years ago. The best opportunity have to get ahead is by uniting to bargain with their employers for better wages and benefits.

So how about it? Practice what you preach? Otherwise, you'll be labeled as a Sweatshop LLP.

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Feel like working at Ross & Associates, but can't quite swing it without those "possible bonus incentives"? Send an email to jross@ross-law.com with the subject heading "I'd love to work for you, but not for $14 an hour!"

Full post as published by Wicked Words on May 31, 2008 (boomark / email).