Legal
Lawyers
Also called: Attorney, Attorney at Law, Attorney General, Counsel
US median pay
$159,670
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+4.7%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
28,700
863,700 employed
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.
What they do day to day
- Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
- Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
- Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
- Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
- Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
- Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.
- Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
- Negotiate settlements of civil disputes.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Judgment and Decision Making4.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving4.1/5
- Persuasion4.0/5
- Negotiation4.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.8/5
- Time Management3.6/5
- Coordination3.5/5
- Systems Analysis3.4/5
Knowledge
- Law and Government5.0/5
- English Language4.7/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.0/5
- Administrative3.2/5
- Computers and Electronics3.1/5
- Communications and Media3.0/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Doctoral or professional degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Doctoral degree77%
- First professional degree23%
Who this job suits
Mostly Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.