Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Attorney
- Attorney General
- Counsel
- Lawyer
Alternate Job Titles
- Admiralty Lawyer
- Agency Legal Counsel
- Attorney
- Attorney at Law
- Attorney General
- Barrister
- Business Lawyer
- Chief Counsel
- City Attorney
- City Solicitor
- Civil Lawyer
- Civil Litigation Attorney
- Civil Rights Attorney
- Claim Attorney
- Commonwealth Attorney
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Persuasion
- Negotiation
- Active Learning
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Speech Clarity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Problem Sensitivity
- Information Ordering
- Originality
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Integrity
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cautiousness
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Recognition
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Independence
- Support
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Doctoral Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Google Analytics
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
Tools & Equipment
- Compact disk CD recorders
- Computer data input scanners
- Desktop computers
- Digital photocopiers
- Digital video disk DVD recorders
- Laptop computers
- Liquid crystal display LCD projectors
- Optical character readers
- Overhead projectors
- Personal computers
- Personal digital assistants PDA
- Universal serial bus USB flash drives
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Contact With Others
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $72,780 |
| Median | $151,160 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | >$239,200 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 747,750
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Judicial Law Clerks
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $60,400
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $115,230
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $156,210
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
Education: First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.
Median Salary: $67,710
Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $78,420
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.