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Law Firms
Kirkland & Ellis, Skadden, Latham & Watkins
Lawyers
Lawyers advise clients, interpret laws, build arguments, draft documents, and negotiate deals or settlements. The work is distinct because it can swing from contract review to high-stakes courtroom strategy, and the tradeoff is clear: strong pay and influence, but long hours, constant pressure, and a license-gated career path.
Also known as AttorneyAssociate AttorneyStaff AttorneyLegal CounselLitigation Attorney
Median Salary
$151,160
Mean $182,760
U.S. Workforce
~748K
31.5K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+4.1%
864.8K to 900.7K
Entry Education
Doctoral or professional degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Lawyers sits in the Legal category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~748K workers, with a median annual pay of $151,160 and roughly 31.5K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 864.8 K in 2024 to 900.7K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Juris Doctor (J.D.) / Doctoral or Professional Degree, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Law Clerk and can progress toward Partner / General Counsel. High-value skills usually include Client Counseling & Oral Advocacy, Legal Research with Westlaw, LexisNexis & Fastcase, and Statute, Case Law & Regulatory Analysis, paired with soft skills such as Speaking, Active Listening, and Critical Thinking.
Core Responsibilities
- Meet with clients to hear their problems, explain their options, and decide what the next legal step should be.
- Look up statutes, court decisions, and regulations to see how the law applies to a case or transaction.
- Draft contracts, letters, motions, and other legal documents with careful attention to wording and deadlines.
- Interview witnesses and review records to gather facts and build a case strategy.
Keep exploring: more Legal careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Meet with clients to hear their problems, explain their options, and decide what the next legal step should be.
02 Look up statutes, court decisions, and regulations to see how the law applies to a case or transaction.
03 Draft contracts, letters, motions, and other legal documents with careful attention to wording and deadlines.
04 Interview witnesses and review records to gather facts and build a case strategy.
05 Negotiate settlements and contract terms with opposing counsel, businesses, or other parties.
06 Prepare for hearings or trials and coordinate with other lawyers, specialists, and support staff.
Industries That Hire
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Corporate Legal Departments
Microsoft, Amazon, Apple
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Finance & Insurance
JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Chubb
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Healthcare & Life Sciences
Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Mayo Clinic
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Government & Regulatory Agencies
U.S. Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Trade Commission
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is strong: the median wage is $151,160 and the mean is $182,760, so experienced lawyers can earn well above the U.S. average.
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Job demand is steady, with about 31.5 thousand annual openings, which means firms and employers are regularly replacing and hiring attorneys.
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The work is varied; you may spend one week negotiating contracts and the next week analyzing case law or preparing for court.
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The role uses durable skills like writing, reasoning, and negotiation that transfer into in-house, government, and nonprofit jobs.
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The occupation does not require prior work experience or on-the-job training after formal education, so the path is structured and well defined.
Challenges
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The education barrier is high: the typical entry point is a doctoral or professional degree, plus bar admission, which takes years and can be expensive.
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Growth is only 4.1% from 2024 to 2034, so this is not a fast-expanding field even though openings remain steady.
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The work is adversarial and high stakes, and mistakes can affect clients' money, freedom, or business deals.
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A lot of routine research and document review is vulnerable to automation and AI tools, especially at junior levels.
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Career progression can be uneven because advancement often depends on billable hours, client development, firm structure, or government promotion ladders.
Career Progression
Law Clerk
0-2 years
$50K-$75K
Supports attorneys with research, file review, and basic drafting while learning how cases and transactions are handled.
Associate Attorney
1-6 years
$120K-$155K
Handles research, client meetings, document drafting, and smaller matters with close supervision; this range includes the occupation's median pay of $151,160.
Senior Attorney THIS ROLE
6-12 years
$160K-$240K
Runs major files, shapes strategy, negotiates tougher disputes, and may supervise junior lawyers or staff.
Partner / General Counsel
12+ years
$250K-$400K
Leads high-value matters, manages client relationships or legal departments, and makes the biggest calls on risk and business strategy.
Education Paths
Juris Doctor (J.D.) / Doctoral or Professional Degree
This is the standard path, held by 77.19% of workers in this role, and it usually ends with passing the bar exam before you can practice.
First Professional Degree in Law
Another 22.81% of workers come through a first professional law degree, usually paired with bar admission and legal licensing.
State Bar Admission and Licensing
This is the required gatekeeping step after law school; it does not appear as a separate education category, but it is necessary to work as a lawyer.
Key Skills
Technical
Client Counseling & Oral Advocacy 91%
Legal Research with Westlaw, LexisNexis & Fastcase 88%
Statute, Case Law & Regulatory Analysis 88%
Brief, Motion & Contract Drafting 81%
Evidence Review & Case File Management 78%
Settlement Negotiation & Mediation 75%
eDiscovery, PACER & Litigation Support 70%
Billing, Docketing & Practice Management Software 68%
Soft Skills
SpeakingActive ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionWritingJudgment and Decision Making Job Outlook and Trends
+4.1%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
31.5K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 864.8K to 900.7 K over the next decade, representing 4.1% growth. Around 31.5 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.