Lawyers
Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions.
Lawyers represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. The role reports a median annual salary of $151,160 in the US with the middle 80% earning between $65,910 and $239,200 and is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Doctoral or professional degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.53 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Writing.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £56,977 a year for Solicitors and lawyers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £42,015 to £77,509 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2412). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Lawyers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Qualification LL.B — 3-year or 5-year course from a BCI-recognised university[1]
- 2 · Entrance exam CLAT-UG for undergraduate law seats at the National Law Universities (after Class 12)[2]
- 3 · Registration Enrol with a State Bar Council and pass the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) for a Certificate of Practice[1]
- 4 · First role Practise as an advocate in the courts[3]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- All India Bar Examination — Bar Council of India (read on 2026-09-27)
- CLAT (UG) instructions — Consortium of National Law Universities (read on 2026-09-27)
- West Bengal PSC — West Bengal Judicial Service Examination advertisement (read on 2026-09-27)
Entrance exams on this route — Dates, eligibility and cut-offs for the exams on the way to this career:
50 open listings on our jobs board → Recent listings whose job title matches this career. Some jobs in this career are advertised under other titles.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Economics and Accounting
- Communications and Media
- Computers and Electronics
A day in the life
You start your morning reviewing case files, reading new filings from opposing counsel, and responding to a steady stream of client emails and calls that demand quick, precise legal guidance. Your day might include drafting contracts or motions, conducting legal research on Westlaw or LexisNexis, taking depositions, negotiating settlement terms, or appearing in court to argue motions before a judge. You work closely with paralegals, junior associates, expert witnesses, and clients whose livelihoods or freedom may depend on your counsel. The intellectual challenge of constructing airtight legal arguments is deeply satisfying, but the billable-hour pressure, adversarial nature of litigation, and high stakes for clients can make the profession emotionally exhausting.
Illustrative: one typical day. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Lawyers do?
Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions.
What does a typical day look like in Lawyers?
You start your morning reviewing case files, reading new filings from opposing counsel, and responding to a steady stream of client emails and calls that demand quick, precise legal guidance. Your day might include drafting contracts or motions, conducting legal research on Westlaw or LexisNexis, taking depositions, negotiating settlement terms, or appearing in court to argue motions before a judge.
How much does Lawyers earn?
The median annual salary for Lawyers in the US is $151,160. The middle 80% of workers earn between $65,910 and $239,200 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $85,980 and $208,980.
What is the job outlook for Lawyers?
The role is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 864,800 workers.
How do I become a lawyers?
The typical entry education is a Doctoral or professional degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Lawyers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Writing, Complex Problem Solving. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Lawyers?
Our AI-durability model gives Lawyers a score of 0.53 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Lawyers has very high barrier to entry — very highly gated — extended graduate education, licensure, or years of specialised training are required.