Are solicitors well paid in UK?
Asked by: Kamryn Kuhn | Last update: January 25, 2026Score: 4.9/5 (15 votes)
Outside of London, the highest paid area for solicitors is in the south of England, where a solicitor's average earnings are £56,000. Solicitors in the Midlands and Wales have average salaries of £46,000. And those in the north of England have an average annual salary of £43,000.
Do lawyers actually make good money?
California has the highest average salary for lawyers, only being surpassed by the District of Columbia, where lawyers command an average annual salary of $226,510. This figure is approximately $138,000 more than the average salary of a lawyer in Wyoming, which is currently the lowest-paying state for lawyers.
Is lawyer a good career in the UK?
Pay is still quite lucrative for many lawyers, but the take-home pay really depends on how hard one is willing to work for it, how well you are doing, and who they know. Solicitors' salaries can be anywhere from £32,000 to £147,500 (base salary) as a newly qualified lawyer in London.
Are solicitors in demand in the UK?
NQ London Market. 2022 saw a rising demand for NQs across all disciplines. Transactional areas of law have been in the most demand and this has led to further pay rises across the city which has also had a knock-on effect throughout London and the regions.
How many hours do solicitors work in the UK?
For solicitors, a full-time role rarely means working 9-to-5. In the UK, solicitors commonly exceed a 40-hour work week, often extending into evenings and weekends to accommodate client needs and meet billable hour targets.
This Is How Much UK Lawyers Make - Solicitor And Barrister Salaries REVEALED!!
Do solicitors make good money UK?
Outside of London, the highest paid area for solicitors is in the south of England, where a solicitor's average earnings are £56,000. Solicitors in the Midlands and Wales have average salaries of £46,000. And those in the north of England have an average annual salary of £43,000.
Do lawyers have a good work-life balance?
High-level lawyers are experiencing unprecedented work burnout, and the struggle to maintain a work-life balance is a major factor behind it. Unfortunately, achieving a work-life balance as a lawyer is easier said than done, especially in a profession that constantly demands your time, attention, and skill.
What type of solicitors earn the most money?
You'll find the highest salaries in practice areas that deal with high-profile companies on national and international scales, such as commercial, corporate and intellectual property law.
Are lawyers underpaid in UK?
Job site Indeed reports the average salary for a solicitor is just under £50,000 a year, based on almost 11,000 reported salaries. Of course, this figure can vary significantly based on the factors mentioned earlier, with some London based, Magic Circle firms paying experienced professionals well over £100,000 a year.
Is it hard to become a solicitor UK?
Becoming a solicitor takes a lot of commitment. You must study and train for at least six years full time, and competition for training contracts is high. Try to find out as much as you can about what a career in the law is like by: talking to solicitors, for example at careers fairs.
Which law pays the most?
What are the highest-paid types of lawyers? The highest-paid lawyers typically specialize in fields such as corporate law, intellectual property, tax law, medical malpractice, and entertainment law. These areas command higher salaries due to the complexity, demand, and financial stakes involved.
How much do newly qualified solicitors earn in the UK?
Nq Solicitor salaries in United Kingdom
The estimated total pay for a Nq Solicitor is £44,324 per year, with an average salary of £42,753 per year.
Is there a shortage of lawyers in the UK?
However, there are now growing concerns about whether there are enough qualified solicitors and barristers to ensure its proper functioning. Recent analysis and reports highlight that the system is strained by a combination of workforce shortages, funding constraints, and structural inefficiencies.
Are lawyers generally rich?
Although some lawyers are extraordinarily wealthy, being a lawyer alone is rarely a means to achieve extreme wealth. Indeed, the vast majority of lawyers earn relatively modest incomes among other professionals in the workforce.
How to make 500k a year?
- Actor.
- Author.
- Accountant.
- Insurance agent.
- Investment banker.
- Professional athlete.
- Entrepreneur.
- Hedge fund manager.
How difficult is law school?
Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.
What is the highest paid job in the UK?
1. Chief Executives and Senior Officials. Unsurprisingly, chief executives like CEOs and Managing Directors have the best-paying jobs. After all, they're the highest-ranking individuals in an organisation.
Is it easy to get a job as a lawyer in UK?
Becoming a lawyer in the UK is not a quick process by any means. It involves dedication, years of study and work experience, and ongoing professional development.
What type of lawyer makes the least money?
We find that within the legal industry, certain segments are known to offer lower compensation. Typically, public defenders, legal aid attorneys, and lawyers working for nonprofit organizations are among the lowest paid.
What area of law is most in demand in the UK?
Here's a closer look at the areas we expect to see the highest demand: Currently, property, immigration, restructuring, and insolvency law are leading in growth.
Can being a lawyer make me a millionaire?
With the right combination of determination, strategic planning, and resilience, becoming a millionaire lawyer is an attainable goal. Pursue your career with ambition and the understanding that your financial success is deeply intertwined with your professional development and dedication to your specialty.
What field of law is most in demand?
- Intellectual property law. ...
- Family law. ...
- Immigration & naturalization law. ...
- Real estate law. ...
- Contract management. ...
- Compliance. ...
- Labor and employment. ...
- Corporate transactions. Also known as mergers and acquisitions, or M&A, this work navigates the buying and selling of companies and their assets.
Can you work 40 hours a week as a lawyer?
Also, depending on the particular demands of their cases, some lawyers offer their clients on-call access for 24 hours a day, each day of the week. Although most lawyers have a regular 40-hour week, a significant percentage of them work more frequently.
What type of law is least stressful?
- Real estate law: the calm of contracts and closings. ...
- Estate planning: beyond grave matters. ...
- Transactional IP law: where creativity meets law. ...
- Tax law: counting dollars, not hours.
Do lawyers sleep a lot?
Research has shown that lawyers are among the most sleep-deprived professionals. Most adults need seven or eight hours of sleep each night, at a minimum.