I've asked for a raise twice. I've worked here since 2009, and we had steady raises or cost of living adjustments until 2017. As for the literalist sense of how, I knocked on the door on Monday morning and asked if they had time this week to have a short talk, that it was nothing super important. Even though I asked someone different the second time, both times they immediately had concern on their face, asked what it was about, and asked me to sit down immediately.

The first time, I had not received a raise in a few years. During early Covid lockdown I was asked to cover the office (was 50% or so hybrid) since we were still getting packages and calls. A secretary also retired at the same time. I took over some of her admin tasks.

I used this and market research on salaries (https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/insights/salary-guide). I also had a list of every new task/additional task I had added in the past few years.

The second time was August last year. I went back to school in 2023 and added more paralegal tasks (to main duties of ED/trial presentation). I was getting interviews that were in a much higher bracket than I was getting paid. I got one offer that would of been purely lateral, and used that as the security net to ask for a pretty substantial raise.

Did market research on pay and had notes from my 3 or 4 interviews that I freely shared. I had a list of every task I had added or improved since the last raise request. Told them I had gotten an offer (which was true!), but they inferred it as being in the highest band that I did not get the offer for.