Attorney / Lawyer
Also known as: Lawyer, Counsel, Esquire
Represent clients in legal matters, argue cases in court, and navigate the justice system.
Salary Range
The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for attorney / lawyers.
About 1 in 67 reaches this level
About 1.3M lawyers in the US; BigLaw equity partners earning $1M+ number roughly 15,000-20,000 across AmLaw 200 firms.
Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.
How to Become One
This career typically requires a doctoral/professional degree. Here are the top colleges for it:
AI Risk Assessment
The bulk of legal work — document review, contract drafting, legal research, brief writing, due diligence — is being rapidly automated. AI drafts research memos in 90 minutes (vs. 12-18 hours), and two AI-augmented seniors can do the diligence of six juniors. Baker McKenzie cited AI in a major 2026 layoff. While 93.4% of 2024 law grads were employed within 10 months, entry-level openings are expected to decrease as AI handles more associate-level tasks. A 3 understates the disruption to the entry pathway students would experience.
Ratings reflect a 10-year outlook based on 2025-2026 research, weighted toward entry-level impact. Individual outcomes will vary.
Related Careers
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