As a clerk at the law firm she said she was getting paid an hourly rate, but when she gets sworn in as an attorney she will strictly be on commission i.e. only getting paid a percent of the work she brings into the firm. In other words working at the law firm for no salary and not even so much as the minimum wage hourly rate. I would add that most new lawyers don't have the capability to bring much in the way of work into a law firm.
The lawyer to be then went on to say that she would have to start paying back her student loan soon and that the payments would be $1,200 a month.
No hourly, no salary...commission only. That's the future for many people who are now graduating from law school. Partners don't have to pay for associates any more. The market is so saturated, quality new attorneys are willing to work for next to nothing.
The judge said he always tells people considering entering into the legal profession to not do it. While I did not want to speak up given I wasn't part of the conversation, I'd like to now just say "Amen" to the judge's comment.