What Does a Lawyer Do?
Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes. They research laws, prepare legal documents, and advocate for their clients in courtrooms and negotiations. Lawyers must possess strong analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills to navigate complex legal matters effectively.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Attorney, Attorney at Law, Attorney General, Counsel, County Attorney, District Attorney, General Counsel, Prosecuting Attorney.
Lawyer Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a lawyer include:
- Advise clients on their legal rights, obligations, and available courses of action.
- Research and analyze statutes, regulations, case law, and legal precedents relevant to cases.
- Draft and review contracts, agreements, wills, trusts, and other legal instruments.
- Represent clients in court hearings, trials, arbitrations, and mediation sessions.
- Negotiate settlements and plea agreements on behalf of clients.
- Prepare legal briefs, motions, pleadings, and appeals for submission to courts.
- Interview witnesses, review evidence, and develop case strategies for litigation.
- Maintain client confidentiality and adhere to ethical standards of the legal profession.
- Supervise paralegals, legal assistants, and junior attorneys working on case teams.
- Stay current with changes in laws and regulations affecting areas of practice.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a lawyer, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Legal research and case analysis
- Persuasive oral and written advocacy
- Negotiation and conflict resolution
- Critical thinking and logical reasoning
- Client relationship management
- Time management across multiple cases
- Ethical judgment and professional integrity
- Courtroom presentation skills
Education and Training
Becoming a lawyer requires completing a bachelor's degree followed by a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. Law school typically takes three years of full-time study and covers subjects including constitutional law, contracts, torts, civil procedure, and criminal law. After graduating, candidates must pass the bar examination in the state where they intend to practice. Many lawyers also pursue specialization through additional coursework, clerkships, or master of laws (LL.M.) programs in fields such as tax, intellectual property, or international law.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $102,990 - $221,370 per year, with a median of $159,670.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Lawyers.
The legal profession continues to offer strong career opportunities, particularly in areas such as healthcare law, intellectual property, data privacy, and environmental regulation. Competition for positions at large law firms remains intense, while demand is growing in corporate legal departments and government agencies. Technology is reshaping legal practice through artificial intelligence tools for document review and legal research, making tech-savvy lawyers increasingly valuable. Lawyers who develop niche expertise and strong client networks will find the best long-term career prospects.
Lawyer Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $78,360 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $102,990 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $159,670 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $221,370 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $351,600 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as lawyers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 96% use email every day
- 90% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 89% are on the phone every day
- 80% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 71% have a lot of freedom to make decisions
- 67% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 66% usually work more than 40 hours a week
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 77% |
| Professional degree | 23% |
Tools and Software Lawyers Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy leading, persuading and making business decisions as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Writing, Complex Problem Solving.
Knowledge areas used most: Law and Government, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Administrative, Computers and Electronics.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 5 of 5, which means extensive preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for a Lawyer Job
- Legal cover letter sample
- Resume or CV: which to send
- How to describe your work experience
- Job interview tips
- Interview thank-you note
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 23-1011.00 (Lawyers). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.