Lawyers
Also called: Attorney, Attorney General, Counsel, LawyerRepresent 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 17 of its 21 rated tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 4.7% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 1.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.9 hires for every 10 job openings in professional and business services, which employs about 67% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.9 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $131,970 | $82,920 to $181,440 | 6,730 |
| Alaska | $149,940 | $117,340 to $190,740 | 1,120 |
| Arizona | $134,260 | $102,450 to $177,150 | 11,640 |
| Arkansas | $98,880 | $69,470 to $132,490 | 3,430 |
| California | $195,080 | $131,120 to $277,140 | 95,770 |
| Colorado | $168,520 | $107,420 to $233,910 | 16,720 |
| Connecticut | $163,600 | $109,450 to $222,930 | 8,420 |
| Delaware | $173,510 | $130,630 to $226,190 | 2,920 |
| District of Columbia | $195,190 | $172,060 to $360,310 | 33,070 |
| Florida | $133,180 | $99,720 to $196,100 | 55,210 |
| Georgia | $134,830 | $84,460 to $202,800 | 23,930 |
| Guam | $122,930 | $93,540 to $151,280 | 180 |
| Hawaii | $124,990 | $97,460 to $155,880 | 2,270 |
| Idaho | $103,400 | $81,520 to $139,350 | 2,490 |
| Illinois | $160,800 | $103,020 to $224,450 | 33,590 |
| Indiana | $126,860 | $95,120 to $193,420 | 8,970 |
| Iowa | $123,550 | $81,860 to $179,610 | 3,550 |
| Kansas | $106,650 | $83,810 to $159,310 | 4,190 |
| Kentucky | $101,550 | $78,140 to $149,120 | 5,770 |
| Louisiana | $104,100 | $76,540 to $159,100 | 10,200 |
| Maine | $113,120 | $82,830 to $139,110 | 2,280 |
| Maryland | $139,110 | $102,270 to $185,220 | 13,810 |
| Massachusetts | $176,680 | $119,960 to $282,080 | 23,560 |
| Michigan | $130,520 | $100,160 to $172,340 | 16,620 |
| Minnesota | $155,140 | $107,220 to $216,440 | 12,380 |
| Mississippi | $91,690 | $63,650 to $130,170 | 3,100 |
| Missouri | $133,450 | $89,900 to $197,110 | 11,560 |
| Montana | $103,720 | $84,180 to $133,660 | 2,380 |
| Nebraska | $109,170 | $81,240 to $166,080 | 3,490 |
| Nevada | $150,510 | $122,470 to $200,970 | 6,490 |
| New Hampshire | $120,810 | $97,080 to $194,690 | 2,250 |
| New Jersey | $161,430 | $116,060 to $220,100 | 23,160 |
| New Mexico | $119,680 | $95,910 to $157,870 | 3,380 |
| New York | $207,860 | $127,580 to $322,120 | 91,870 |
| North Carolina | $127,710 | $82,220 to $210,130 | 17,000 |
| North Dakota | $106,880 | $92,510 to $137,380 | 1,050 |
| Ohio | $131,020 | $90,830 to $191,080 | 19,950 |
| Oklahoma | $103,060 | $74,950 to $139,630 | 6,980 |
| Oregon | $138,210 | $99,450 to $195,620 | 7,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $157,180 | $98,720 to $208,260 | 27,170 |
| Puerto Rico | not published | not published | 4,020 |
| Rhode Island | $138,960 | $108,200 to $200,130 | 1,840 |
| South Carolina | $120,310 | $80,870 to $174,620 | 7,890 |
| South Dakota | $102,040 | $85,640 to $141,270 | 1,360 |
| Tennessee | $136,180 | $98,750 to $198,470 | 9,010 |
| Texas | $154,200 | $102,810 to $223,390 | 56,580 |
| Utah | $132,830 | $93,460 to $212,230 | 7,020 |
| Vermont | $127,310 | $100,790 to $188,090 | 1,330 |
| Virgin Islands | $118,440 | $99,990 to $137,470 | 150 |
| Virginia | $167,210 | $107,710 to $207,480 | 18,580 |
| Washington | $154,130 | $111,080 to $205,130 | 12,770 |
| West Virginia | $102,420 | $80,640 to $145,270 | 2,440 |
| Wisconsin | $126,760 | $94,890 to $198,270 | 9,160 |
| Wyoming | $100,130 | $79,080 to $134,570 | 900 |
Nationally: $159,670. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 17 of its 21 rated tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses. | 0.24% |
| AI alone | Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents. | 0.01% |
| AI + software | Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts. | 0.08% |
| AI + software | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Confer with colleagues with specialties in appropriate areas of legal issue to establish and verify bases for legal proceedings. | Not published |
See all 22 tasks
| AI + software | Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases. | 0.01% |
| AI + software | Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations. | 0.26% |
| Not much | Supervise legal assistants. | Not published |
| Not much | Represent clients in court or before government agencies. | Not published |
| Not rated | Negotiate contractual agreements. | Not published |
| AI alone | Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases. | 0.02% |
| AI + software | Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law. | Not published |
| AI + software | Negotiate settlements of civil disputes. | Not published |
| AI + software | Present and summarize cases to judges and juries. | Not published |
| AI alone | Search for and examine public and other legal records to write opinions or establish ownership. | Not published |
| Not much | Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges, and question witnesses during the course of a trial. | Not published |
| AI + software | Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prepare legal briefs and opinions, and file appeals in state and federal courts of appeal. | Not published |
| AI + software | Probate wills and represent and advise executors and administrators of estates. | Not published |
| AI + software | Act as agent, trustee, guardian, or executor for businesses or individuals. | Not published |
| AI + software | Help develop federal and state programs, draft and interpret laws and legislation, and establish enforcement procedures. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 7 of the 22 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 22 tasks fall under 14 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #30 Perform administrative or clerical activities
- #48 Research laws, precedents, or other legal data
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present information in legal proceedings | |||
| Research laws, precedents, or other legal data | |||
| Consult legal materials or public records | |||
| Advise others on legal or regulatory matters | |||
| Interview people to obtain information | |||
| Prepare legal or regulatory documents | |||
| Discuss legal matters with clients, disputants, or legal professionals or staff | |||
| Perform administrative or clerical activities |
Show all 14 activities
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Negotiate contracts or agreements | |||
| Mediate disputes | |||
| Supervise personnel activities | |||
| Record information about legal matters | |||
| Draft legislation or regulations |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report41%
- An explanation or answer21%
- An analysis or summary12%
- Advice or a recommendation10%
- An email or message8%
How they worked with Claude
52% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for lawyers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 180,900 moves out
- 1 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 8%
- 2 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 7%
- 3 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 6%
- 4 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 5 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 4%
Where people moved in from
of 284,715 moves in
- 1 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 6%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 3 Judicial Law Clerks High +2.8% 5%
- 4 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 4%
- 5 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 23% professional doctorate
- 77% research doctorate
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 22 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% high school
- 1% some college
- 7% bachelor's
- 5% master's
- 77% professional degree
- 9% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 13,798 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
26 programs, such as Law, Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General and Programs for Foreign Lawyers.
See all
- Law
- Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General
- Programs for Foreign Lawyers
- American/U.S. Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence
- Canadian Law/Legal Studies/Jurisprudence
- Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law
- Comparative Law
- Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Law
- Health Law
- International Law and Legal Studies
- International Business, Trade, and Tax Law
- Tax Law/Taxation
- Intellectual Property Law
- Patent Law
- Agriculture Law
- Arts and Entertainment Law
- Compliance Law
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Entrepreneurship Law
- Family/Child/Elder Law
- Human Resources Law
- Insurance Law
- Real Estate and Land Development Law
- Transportation Law
- Tribal/Indigenous Law
- Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Other
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
>99.5% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | >99.5% | 19.1% |
| a certification | <0.5% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/23-1011.00