Career Profile: Lawyers

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 833,100 people employed as lawyers in the United States. The median annual salary is $127,990. Entry level employees earn approximately $61,400 per year and senior employees earn approximately $208,000 (or more) per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law.
• Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
• Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
• Work in environmental law, representing public interest groups, waste disposal companies, or construction firms in their dealings with state and federal agencies.
• Probate wills and represent and advise executors and administrators of estates.
• Act as agent, trustee, guardian, or executor for businesses or individuals.
• Help develop federal and state programs, draft and interpret laws and legislation, and establish enforcement procedures.
• Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation.
• Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
• Present and summarize cases to judges and juries.
• Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
• Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.
• 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.
• Prepare legal briefs and opinions, and file appeals in state and federal courts of appeal.
• Search for and examine public and other legal records to write opinions or establish ownership.
• Confer with colleagues with specialties in appropriate areas of legal issue to establish and verify bases for legal proceedings.
• Negotiate settlements of civil disputes.
• Supervise legal assistants.
• Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
• Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
• Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges, and question witnesses during the course of a trial.
• Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.

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