According to the American Bar Association’s 2020 ABA Profile of the Legal Profession, there are currently about 1.3 million lawyers in the US. Specifically, for every 1,000 residents in the US, there are only four lawyers. Knowing the status and size of your industry helps you understand your playing field in the legal marketplace.
Even in just the last 5 years, the total enrollment of students in law school has decreased by 10%. This means lawyers are extremely experienced today, but eventually that experience is all but going to disappear unless new students are willing to enter into this profession.
Michael W. Cotter, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana John W. Huber, U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah Karen L. Loeffler, U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska Charles Oberly, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David Rivera, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee
A look at the 10-year trend in lawyer population also shows modest year to year increases since 2008, culminating in 2018 with an overall 15.2 percent gain in practicing U.S. lawyers over the decade.
1.33 million lawyersHow many lawyers are in the U.S.? The total number of lawyers in the United States has seen little increase in the last few years; in 2020, there were 1.33 million lawyers in the U.S. – virtually unchanged from the previous year, and not much above the 2015 figure of 1.3 million.
1,352,027In terms of raw numbers, at the start of 2019, there were 1,352,027 active lawyers in the United States, which represents an increase of 12.4% since 2010 when there were 1,203,097 active lawyers.
1.3 million lawyersThere are 1.3 million lawyers in the United States.
National estimates for Lawyers:Employment (1)Employment RSE (3)Mean annual wage (2)681,0101.0 %$ 148,030Mar 31, 2022
According to the American Bar Association there are currently 1,116,967 lawyers practicing in the United States. That is approximately one for every 300 people, or approximately 0.36% of the total population.
Number of law graduates in the U.S. 2013-2021 The number of law graduates in the United States steadily declined between 2013 and 2021. As of 2021, 35,287 students graduated from law school in the United States.
127,990 USD (2021)Lawyer / Median pay (annual)
The average lawyer earns $127,990 – or $61.54 hourly – while the average American salary currently sits at around $58,260 – or $28.01 per hour. Compared to the national average, attorneys earn more than double the average income, which is great money.
Even worse than the long hours, in many cases, is the lack of control over your work and your schedule as an attorney. When you're subject to the whims of the court, the partners or other senior lawyers you work for, and client demands, the lack of control can become highly frustrating. This is why many lawyers leave.
Employment statistics and salary information According to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), only 63% of law graduates from the class of 2015 obtained full time, bar passage required employment. Almost 11% of 2015 graduates were unemployed despite a U.S. unemployment rate of 5%.
At 38,202 new JD students, we're still nowhere near the hog-high 52,404 1Ls who started in 2010. Even so, 38,202 is way more new lawyers than the legal job market is likely going to be able to absorb in three years, and it looks like even more people are going to start law school this fall.
Every now and then, or more often, we hear news about how the legal profession is dying. Whether it's robot lawyers, the apocalypse, or the robot lawyer apocalypse, you don't have to worry about the legal profession dying. The profession isn't going anywhere.
Employment of lawyers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Competition for jobs over the next 10 years is expected to be strong because more students graduate from law school each year than there are jobs available.
Some work for federal, local, and state governments. Most work full time and many work more than 40 hours a week.
Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes. Lawyers, also called attorneys, act as both advocates and advisors. As advocates, they represent one of the parties in a criminal or civil trial by presenting evidence and arguing in support of their client.
After several years, some lawyers may advance to partnership in their firm, meaning that they become partial owners of the firm .
Law students may choose specialized courses in areas such as tax, labor, and corporate law. Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. Prospective lawyers take licensing exams called “bar exams.”. Lawyers who receive a license to practice law are “admitted to the bar.”.
Environmental lawyers deal with issues and regulations that are related to the environment. For example, they may work for advocacy groups, waste disposal companies, or government agencies to help ensure compliance with relevant laws. Tax lawyers handle a variety of tax-related issues for individuals and corporations.
Employment of lawyers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Demand for legal work is expected to continue as individuals, businesses, and all levels of government require legal services in many areas.
President Donald Trump declined to accept the resignations of Dana Boente (left) and Rod Rosenstein (right).
Initial media reports described Sessions' move as abrupt and unexpected, but not unprecedented. Slate 's Leon Neyfakh accused media outlets of sensationalizing Sessions' actions, which he said were "nothing particularly unusual or surprising," and noted the mass firings of U.S. attorneys accompanying each presidential transition.
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, criticized the "abrupt firing. " She said, "Under previous administrations, orderly transitions allowed U.S. attorneys to leave gradually as their replacements were chosen.
Preet Bharara said he was fired after refusing to submit his resignation.
Specifically, for every 1,000 residents in the US, there are only four lawyers. Knowing the status and size of your industry helps you understand your playing field in the legal marketplace.
The job outlook for lawyers—according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook —is overall positive , with a 4% projected growth rate for lawyers between 2019 and 2029, which is in line with the projected average for all jobs.
The 2020 Legal Trends Report also notes a collection rate (that is, the percentage of hours collected divided by the number of hours invoiced) of 88%—which means that lawyers are not paid for 12% of hours that they’ve worked and billed to clients. Finding a way to increase this rate could mean more potential revenue coming in for the hours already worked.
When it comes to hourly rates by state for lawyers, the 2020 Legal Trends Report shows that lawyers in DC charge the highest hourly rate, followed by $338 per hour by lawyers in California.
15. 72% of consumers would prefer to pay their legal fees via payment plans. Another key statistic about lawyers from the 2020 Legal Trends Report is that today’s consumers want convenience and options when it comes to paying their legal fees.
Tracking performance and productivity impacts your success as a lawyer, so lawyer facts and statistics that highlight how attorneys spend their time are invaluable performance indicators. The 2020 Legal Trends Report, for example, reports a utilization rate (i.e. the number of billable hours worked divided by the number of hours in a day) of 31%—which means that 69% of a lawyer’s work day is spent on non-billable activities.
The American Bar Association’s 10-year look at lawyer demographic trends shows some movement towards equality (in 2010, only 31% of lawyers were female and 89% of attorneys were white), but the statistics about lawyers show that the profession still has work to do.
Lawyers who work for physicians or medical practices make the highest average income, making more than $110 per hour. The lowest overall wage for the lawyer demographics in the United States is in Montana, where they make just over $35 per hour on average.
In 1980, 92% of practicing lawyers in the United States were men. The median age of a lawyer in the United States today is 49. In 1980, the median age was 39. Just 4% of practicing lawyers today are under the age of 30. In comparison, 62% of practicing lawyers today are above the age of 45.
The educational requirements to become a lawyer today are extensive. The need to have good grades and to graduate at or near the top of one’s class separates the dedicated from those who are less passionate about the law. Yet despite this fact, most lawyers end up working for themselves or in small practices.