Lawyers
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.
- US jobs
- 754,500
- Median wage
- $159,670 a year
- Job family
- Legal
Can agents do the work of lawyers?
We read the evidence for the whole job family, Legal: Some tasks (first measured in the last 12 months)
Agents complete 20% or more of the tasks (or projects) on a direct benchmark.
Evidence: Legal Research Bench, 55.3% of tasks completed.
38% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark.
- 19%Present information in legal proceedingsNot measured
- 16%Research laws, precedents, or other legal dataMeasured
- 13%Advise others on legal or regulatory mattersNot measured
- 10%Consult legal materials or public recordsMeasured
- 7%Prepare legal or regulatory documentsMeasured
- 7%Interview people to obtain informationNot measured
- 7%Discuss legal matters with clients, disputants, or legal professionals or staffNot measured
- 5%Supervise personnel activitiesNot measured
Benchmarks for this occupation
These benchmarks name this occupation in their job mapping.
Direct evidence
Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in legal, not always this occupation's tasks.
Also relevant
These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.
Context only
These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- 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.
- Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.
- Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
- Negotiate settlements of civil disputes.
- Supervise legal assistants.
- Negotiate contractual agreements.
Other job titles for this occupation (80)
Attorney · Attorney at Law · Attorney General · Counsel · County Attorney · District Attorney · General Counsel · Lawyer · Prosecuting Attorney · Prosecutor · Admiralty Lawyer · Agency Legal Counsel · Barrister · Business Lawyer · Chief Counsel · City Attorney · City Solicitor · Civil Lawyer · Civil Litigation Attorney · Civil Rights Attorney · Claim Attorney · Commonwealth Attorney · Contracts Attorney · Conveyancer · Corporate Attorney · Corporate Counsel · Corporate Counselor · Corporate Lawyer · Corporation Counsel · Corporation Lawyer · Counselor at Law · County Counsel · Criminal Defense Lawyer · Criminal Justice Lawyer · Criminal Lawyer · Cyber Legal Advisor · Cybersecurity Lawyer · Defense Attorney · Divorce Lawyer · Document Review Attorney · Employment Attorney · Entertainment Lawyer · Environmental Attorney · Environmental Lawyer · Estate Conservator · Family Law Attorney · Family Lawyer · Federal Public Defender · Foreign Law Consultant · Foreign Legal Consultant · General Counselor · Health Care Attorney · Immigration Attorney · Immigration Lawyer · Immigration Specialist · In-House Counsel · Insurance Attorney · Insurance Counselor · Insurance Defense Attorney · Intellectual Property Lawyer · Law Writer · Legal Advisor · Legal Arbitrator · Legal Consultant · Legal Counsel · Legal Examiner · Legal Research Analyst · Legal Researcher · Litigation Associate · Litigation Attorney · Military Lawyer · Patent Attorney · Patent Lawyer · Patent Solicitor · Personal Injury Attorney · Probate Lawyer · Public Defender · Real Estate Attorney · Real Estate Lawyer · Solicitor