How many lawyers are there in Canada?

Asked by: Aiyana Bins I  |  Last update: July 29, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (19 votes)

Our Members: Canada's Law Societies Canada's 14 provincial and territorial law societies govern over 136,000 lawyers, Quebec's 4,200 notaries and Ontario's 10,600 independent paralegals in the public interest.

How many people are lawyers in Canada?

Canada (254 Lawyers per 100k)

Canada has around 99,300 lawyers. The country's diverse legal system, including the civil law system in Quebec, and focus on human rights, environmental law, and indigenous issues necessitate a wide range of legal expertise.

Is there a lawyer shortage in Canada?

Top legal job market trends

Law firms in major Canadian markets are seeing a high demand for their services. Still, half of legal employers say finding candidates with the required skill sets is their greatest hiring challenge in 2024.

How much do top 1% lawyers make?

— How do we know how much do lawyers make? Well, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for attorneys in the US is just over $125,000. The highest-paid lawyers (10% of the legal workforce) make over $208,000 However, the top 1% of attorneys make $500,000 or more per year.

Is there an oversupply of lawyers in Canada?

The report says lawyers and other legal professionals remain in high demand in Canada. Robert Half's recently released “Demand for Skilled Talent Report” found there is still a lot of mobility in the legal sector.

MEET MY LAWYER FRIEND | Canada Opportunities after LLB from INDIA

35 related questions found

Are lawyers paid well in Canada?

Although Canadian lawyer salaries vary dramatically from mid $30,000 to over $400,000, the average lawyer salary in Canada is $126,595.

What is the biggest complaint about lawyers?

According to the ABA, the most common attorney discipline complaints filed with the bar association involve:
  • Neglect.
  • Lack of communication.
  • Misrepresentation or dishonesty.
  • Scope of representation.
  • Fee disputes.

Can a lawyer make $500,000 a year?

The reality is that most lawyers earn significantly less than half a million dollars each year. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual pay for lawyers in 2022 was $135,740, with only the top 1% surpassing the $500,000 mark.

How hard is law school?

In summary, law school is hard. Harder than regular college or universities, in terms of stress, workload, and required commitment. But about 40,000 people graduate from law schools every year–so it is clearly attainable.

What field of law is most in demand?

Which Legal Fields Are 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.

Is law saturated in Canada?

Another misconception is that if you get a law degree, you are guaranteed a job as a lawyer. In actuality, this is false. Canada's legal market is highly saturated. That means there are more law school graduates than articling positions.

Which province in Canada needs lawyers?

With its growing economy and diverse industries, including finance, manufacturing, and technology, Manitoba has a high demand for legal professionals. The province also has a strong legal community and offers excellent lawyer career development opportunities.

Is it hard to get a law degree in Canada?

Law school is hard – and that's a fact. But before you count how many sleepless nights you may have in the future, you must first prepare your Canadian law schools' requirements. This might be the initial obstacle you would have to face in achieving your dreams of becoming a lawyer.

What is the average age of lawyers in Canada?

The median age of men (41.2) differed by less than a year from the median age of women (40.5). In contrast, women in the legal pro- fession were considerably younger than men. Their median age (36.1) was over 7 years less than that of male lawyers (43.4).

Which country needs lawyers the most?

Which country has a demand for Lawyers? The United States of America, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland and Switzerland offer many jobs for Lawyers.

How many lawyers leave law?

In 2021, that number had jumped to a jaw-dropping 27%. Using the previous 16% attrition rate, it was calculated that for every 20 lawyers hired, 15 would leave within six years.

Is law or medicine harder?

Each path demands extensive education and a commitment to rigorous training before becoming a qualified professional. Although both law and medical schools present their unique challenges, it's generally accepted that medical school demands a higher level of intense coursework and thorough training.

What is the hardest law degree to get?

The hardest law school to get into is Yale Law School, with an acceptance rate of 5.5%. Followed by: Stanford Law School: 7% acceptance rate. The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School: 3.8% acceptance rate.

How hard is the bar exam?

The bar exam is hard. In fact, it may be one of the most difficult challenges you ever embark on. You must memorize numerous laws and consume a lot of knowledge to answer questions correctly. For many, it feels like trying to hold sand in your hands, knowing that you'll inevitably lose much of it.

How many millionaires are lawyers?

My math says 0.3%-0.35%. There are 4100 biglaw attorneys who rake in a million a year or more, which is 0.31% of all attorneys; the 100 highest paid GCs average $2.7 million per year, and there are easily just as many solo or small-firm attorneys who also make that much.

What jobs pay $500,000 a year in Canada?

500k salary jobs
  • Family Physician *Relocation Opportunity* ...
  • Senior Account Executive - Enterprise Software and Services. ...
  • Family Physician - Prevention Medicine. ...
  • Real Estate Development - Architecture Leadership Positions. ...
  • Business Development Representative. ...
  • Strengthen your profile.

Is 700k a good salary?

Earning $700,000 a year would put your household in the top 1% nationwide — and well above the middle class — and in any state in the South or Midwest. But that still won't cut it in seven states. The Northeast dominates the rankings, with five of the 10 states with the highest 1% thresholds lying in this region.

How do you know a bad lawyer?

Any behavior that compromises professionalism, such as rudeness, tardiness, or lack of respect for client confidentiality, should raise concerns about the lawyer's competence. Additionally, ethical misconduct or disciplinary actions by regulatory authorities may indicate a lack of integrity and competence.

What is it called when a lawyer doesn't do his job?

Any time an attorney fails to meet the expected standards of his or her profession, their clients could take legal actions against them for what is called “legal malpractice.”

Is there an oversupply of lawyers?

However, an oversupply of lawyers can saturate the job market, leading to stiffer competition, lower starting salaries, and fewer stable positions, especially for recent graduates. This surplus may also drive some legal professionals toward high-volume, lower-fee work, potentially impacting service quality.