23-1011.00 - Lawyers

23-1011.00 - Lawyers
Lawyers
23-1011.00
Updated 2026
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.
Sample of reported job titles:
Attorney, Attorney at Law, Attorney General, Counsel, County Attorney, District Attorney, General Counsel, Lawyer, Prosecuting Attorney, Prosecutor
See the easy-read overview for Lawyers at My Next Move
You will be leaving O*NET OnLine to visit our sister site My Next Move. You can return by using the
Back
button in your browser, or by choosing “O*NET OnLine” from the
O*NET Sites
menu at the bottom of any page in My Next Move.
Yes, let’s go
Don’t ask again this session
See the easy-read overview for Lawyers at My Next Move for Veterans
You will be leaving O*NET OnLine to visit our sister site My Next Move for Veterans. You can return by using the
Back
button in your browser, or by choosing “O*NET OnLine” from the
O*NET Sites
menu at the bottom of any page in My Next Move for Veterans.
Yes, let’s go
Don’t ask again this session
Ver la perspectiva general fácil de leer para Abogados en Mi Próximo Paso
Saldrá de O*NET OnLine para visitar nuestro sitio afiliado Mi Próximo Paso. Puede regresar usando el botón
Atrás
en su navegador, o eligiendo “O*NET OnLine” en el menú
Sitios O*NET
en la parte inferior de cualquier página en Mi Próximo Paso.
Sí, vamos
No preguntar de nuevo para esta sesión
Occupation-Specific Information
Overview
Tasks
Technology Skills
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Experience Requirements
Job Zone
Training & Credentials
Apprenticeship
Worker Requirements
Skills
Knowledge
Education
Worker Characteristics
Abilities
Interests
Work Styles
Workforce Characteristics
Wages & Employment
Job Openings
More Information
Related Occupations
Professional Associations
Occupation-Specific Information
Tasks
Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
Related occupations
Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
Related occupations
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.
Related occupations
Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
Related occupations
Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
Related occupations
Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
Related occupations
Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
Related occupations
Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.
Related occupations
Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
Related occupations
Negotiate settlements of civil disputes.
Related occupations
Supervise legal assistants.
Related occupations
Negotiate contractual agreements.
Related occupations
Confer with colleagues with specialties in appropriate areas of legal issue to establish and verify bases for legal proceedings.
Related occupations
Search for and examine public and other legal records to write opinions or establish ownership.
Related occupations
Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law.
Related occupations
Present and summarize cases to judges and juries.
Related occupations
Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges, and question witnesses during the course of a trial.
Related occupations
Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation.
Related occupations
Probate wills and represent and advise executors and administrators of estates.
Related occupations
Prepare legal briefs and opinions, and file appeals in state and federal courts of appeal.
Related occupations
Act as agent, trustee, guardian, or executor for businesses or individuals.
Related occupations
Help develop federal and state programs, draft and interpret laws and legislation, and establish enforcement procedures.
Related occupations
Find occupations related to multiple tasks
Technology Skills
Accounting software
— ESI Software ESILAW; Fund accounting software; LexisNexis PCLaw; TimeSolv Legal
4 more
Related occupations
Analytical or scientific software
— Convex FactLogic; Direct Hit Systems THREADS
Related occupations
Billing and invoicing software
— BQE Software BillQuick; SMEsource BillingOrchard
Related occupations
Calendar and scheduling software
— Compugov DocketView; CompuLaw Vision; Levare Center Court
Related occupations
Content workflow software
— I-many Contract Management
Related occupations
Data base user interface and query software
— LexisNexis CaseMap; Microsoft Access
Hot Technology
; Orion Law Management Systems Orion; WorthMORE Software CaseWORTH
47 more
Related occupations
Data mining software
— Google Analytics
Hot Technology
Related occupations
Desktop publishing software
— Microsoft Publisher
Related occupations
Document management software
— AbacusNext HotDocs; Adobe Acrobat
Hot Technology
; Microsoft SharePoint Server; WealthCounsel WealthDocs
19 more
Related occupations
Electronic mail software
— Catalyst Repository Systems CatalystDR; Catalyst Repository Systems CatalystXE; MicroFocus GroupWise; Microsoft Outlook
Hot Technology
Related occupations
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
— ERP software; Microsoft Dynamics; SAP software
Hot Technology
Related occupations
Information retrieval or search software
— LexisNexis; LexisNexis Shepard's Citations Service; Thomson Reuters Westlaw; Wolters Kluwer Loislaw
1 more
Related occupations
Internet browser software
— Web browser software
Related occupations
Office suite software
— Corel WordPerfect Office Suite; Microsoft Office software
Related occupations
Presentation software
— IDEA TrialPro; inData TrialDirector; Microsoft PowerPoint
Hot Technology
; Visionary Legal Technologies Visionary Professional
1 more
Related occupations
Project management software
— Canyon Solutions Jcats; Legal Files software; Microsoft Project
Hot Technology
; Virtual Case Management
3 more
Related occupations
Spreadsheet software
— Microsoft Excel
Hot Technology
Related occupations
Tax preparation software
— Tax software
Related occupations
Time accounting software
— Equative TimeLedger; Sage Timeslips
Related occupations
Video conferencing software
— LogMeIn GoToMeeting
Related occupations
Word processing software
— Microsoft Word
Hot Technology
; ProCAT Denoto
Related occupations
Hot Technologies are requirements most frequently included across all employer job postings.
See all 10 Hot Technologies for this occupation.
In Demand skills are frequently included in employer job postings for this occupation.
See all 1 In Demand skills for this occupation.
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
Getting Information
— Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Related occupations
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
— Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Related occupations
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
— Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Related occupations
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
— Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Related occupations
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
— Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Related occupations
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
— Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Related occupations
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
— Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Related occupations
Communicating with People Outside the Organization
— Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Related occupations
Providing Consultation and Advice to Others
— Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Related occupations
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
— Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Related occupations
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
— Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Related occupations
Processing Information
— Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Related occupations
Working with Computers
— Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Related occupations
Documenting/Recording Information
— Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Related occupations
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
— Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Related occupations
Developing Objectives and Strategies
— Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Related occupations
Thinking Creatively
— Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Related occupations
Analyzing Data or Information
— Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Related occupations
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
— Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Related occupations
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
— Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Related occupations
Selling or Influencing Others
— Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
Related occupations
Scheduling Work and Activities
— Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Related occupations
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
— Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Related occupations
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
— Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Related occupations
Developing and Building Teams
— Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Related occupations
Assisting and Caring for Others
— Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Related occupations
Performing Administrative Activities
— Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Related occupations
Coaching and Developing Others
— Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Related occupations
Detailed Work Activities
Provide legal advice to clients.
Related occupations
Identify implications for cases from legal precedents or other legal information.
Related occupations
Interview claimants to get information related to legal proceedings.
Related occupations
Represent the interests of clients in legal proceedings.
Related occupations
Meet with individuals involved in legal processes to provide information and clarify issues.
Related occupations
Prepare legal documents.
Related occupations
Research relevant legal materials to aid decision making.
Related occupations
Arbitrate disputes between parties to resolve legal conflicts.
Related occupations
Supervise activities of other legal personnel.
Related occupations
Negotiate contracts with clients or service providers.
Related occupations
Negotiate purchases or contracts.
Related occupations
Prepare documentation of legal proceedings.
Related occupations
Evaluate information related to legal matters in public or personal records.
Related occupations
Direct organizational operations, projects, or services.
Related occupations
Manage operations, research, or logistics projects.
Related occupations
Perform administrative or clerical tasks.
Related occupations
Draft legislation or regulations.
Related occupations
Find occupations related to multiple detailed work activities
Work Context
E-Mail
— 96% responded “Every day.”
Related occupations
Telephone Conversations
— 89% responded “Every day.”
Related occupations
Contact With Others
— 78% responded “Constant contact with others.”
Related occupations
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
— 85% responded “A lot of freedom.”
Related occupations
Freedom to Make Decisions
— 71% responded “A lot of freedom.”
Related occupations
Spend Time Sitting
— 65% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
Related occupations
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
— 58% responded “Very important results.”
Related occupations
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
— 49% responded “Every day.”
Related occupations
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
— 60% responded “Extremely important.”
Related occupations
Written Letters and Memos
— 55% responded “Every day.”
Related occupations
Frequency of Decision Making
— 50% responded “Every day.”
Related occupations
Time Pressure
— 62% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
Related occupations
Duration of Typical Work Week
— 66% responded “More than 40 hours.”
Related occupations
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
— 46% responded “Very high responsibility.”
Related occupations
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
— 35% responded “Extremely important.”
Related occupations
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
— 67% responded “Every day.”
Related occupations
Consequence of Error
— 50% responded “Extremely serious.”
Related occupations
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
— 50% responded “Very important.”
Related occupations
Level of Competition
— 35% responded “Moderately competitive.”
Related occupations
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
— 33% responded “Very important.”
Related occupations
Conflict Situations
— 36% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
Related occupations
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
— 43% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
Related occupations
Experience Requirements
Job Zone
Title
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Education
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).
Related Experience
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.
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Job Zone Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, physician assistants, and veterinarians.
SVP
Range
(8.0 and above)
Training & Credentials
State training
Local training
Certifications
Find certifications nationwide
State licenses
Apprenticeship Opportunities
Start your career and build your skillset. Visit
Apprenticeship.gov
external site
to learn about opportunities related to this occupation.
Worker Requirements
Skills
Speaking
— Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Related occupations
Active Listening
— Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Related occupations
Critical Thinking
— Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Related occupations
Reading Comprehension
— Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Related occupations
Writing
— Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Related occupations
Complex Problem Solving
— Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Related occupations
Judgment and Decision Making
— Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Related occupations
Negotiation
— Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Related occupations
Persuasion
— Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Related occupations
Active Learning
— Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Related occupations
Social Perceptiveness
— Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Related occupations
Time Management
— Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Related occupations
Coordination
— Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Related occupations
Monitoring
— Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Related occupations
Systems Analysis
— Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Related occupations
Instructing
— Teaching others how to do something.
Related occupations
Learning Strategies
— Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Related occupations
Service Orientation
— Actively looking for ways to help people.
Related occupations
Systems Evaluation
— Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Related occupations
Knowledge
Law and Government
— Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Related occupations
English Language
— Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Related occupations
Customer and Personal Service
— Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Related occupations
Administrative
— Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Related occupations
Computers and Electronics
— Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Related occupations
Communications and Media
— Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Related occupations
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
77%
responded:
Doctoral degree required
23%
responded:
Professional degree required
more info
Worker Characteristics
Abilities
Oral Expression
— The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Related occupations
Oral Comprehension
— The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Related occupations
Written Comprehension
— The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Related occupations
Written Expression
— The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Related occupations
Speech Clarity
— The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Related occupations
Deductive Reasoning
— The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Related occupations
Inductive Reasoning
— The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Related occupations
Problem Sensitivity
— The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Related occupations
Information Ordering
— The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Related occupations
Category Flexibility
— The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Related occupations
Fluency of Ideas
— The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Related occupations
Near Vision
— The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Related occupations
Originality
— The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Related occupations
Speech Recognition
— The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Related occupations
Selective Attention
— The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Related occupations
Flexibility of Closure
— The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Related occupations
Interests
Interest code:
ECI
Want to discover your interests? Take the
O*NET Interest Profiler
Enterprising
— Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Related occupations
Conventional
— Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Related occupations
Investigative
— Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Related occupations
Work Styles
Self-Confidence
— A tendency to believe in one's work-related capabilities and ability to control one's work-related outcomes.
Related occupations
Perseverance
— A tendency to exhibit determination and resolve to perform or complete tasks in the face of difficult circumstances or obstacles at work.
Related occupations
Stress Tolerance
— A tendency to cope and function effectively in stressful situations at work.
Related occupations
Self-Control
— A tendency to remain calm and composed and to manage emotions effectively in response to criticism or difficult situations at work.
Related occupations
Achievement Orientation
— A tendency to establish and maintain personally challenging work-related goals, set high work-related standards, and exert high effort toward meeting those goals and standards.
Related occupations
Intellectual Curiosity
— A tendency to seek out and acquire new work-related knowledge and obtain a deep understanding of work-related subjects.
Related occupations
Cautiousness
— A tendency to be careful, deliberate, and risk-avoidant when making work-related decisions or doing work.
Related occupations
Integrity
— A tendency to be honest and ethical at work.
Related occupations
Attention to Detail
— A tendency to be detail-oriented, organized, and thorough in completing work.
Related occupations
Dependability
— A tendency to be reliable, responsible, and consistent in meeting work-related obligations.
Related occupations
Workforce Characteristics
Wages & Employment Trends
Median wages
(2024)
$72.67 hourly, $151,160 annual
State wages
Local wages
Employment
(2024)
864,800 employees
Projected growth
(2024-2034)
Average (3% to 4%)
Projected job openings
(2024-2034)
31,500
State trends
Top industries
(2024)
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Government
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
2024 wage data
external site
and
2024-2034 employment projections
external site
“Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2024-2034). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Job Openings on the Web
State job openings
Local job openings
More Information
Related Occupations
23-1021.00
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
23-1022.00
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
11-1011.00
Chief Executives
13-1031.00
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
13-1041.03
Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
13-2099.04
Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts
23-1023.00
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
23-1012.00
Judicial Law Clerks
13-1075.00
Labor Relations Specialists
25-1112.00
Law Teachers, Postsecondary
Professional Associations
Disclaimer:
Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries.
Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
O*NET Ally
Actively assisted with the O*NET data collection, helping to identify occupational experts who can be surveyed about their work in the occupation.
View the list of Allies
National Associations
American Association for Justice
external site
American Bar Association
external site
American Health Lawyers Association
external site
DRI
external site
Federal Bar Association
external site
International Municipal Lawyers Association
external site
Law School Admission Council
external site
National Association for Law Placement
external site
National Association of Bond Lawyers
external site
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
external site
National Bar Association
external site
Was this page helpful?
Job Seeker Help
Share:
Reddit
Email
Link to Us
Cite this Page
Creative Commons CC-BY
License
23-1011.00 - Lawyers
by
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Follow us:
About this Site
Disclaimer
Site updated April 14, 2026
Loading...
Loading...