Is it a career choice to be a lawyer?

Asked by: Tanya Hartmann  |  Last update: January 21, 2026
Score: 4.1/5 (8 votes)

Being a lawyer can be an outstanding career option, just be sure to do it with your eyes wide open.

Is becoming a lawyer a good career choice?

Lucrative career

Lawyers have the ability to earn a generous income. They make a national average salary of $50,979 per year . Though you may not earn this income as a new lawyer, you can work your way toward this salary with enough hard work and experience.

How to make $500,000 a year as a lawyer?

How can a lawyer make 500k a year?
  1. Create an SEO for Lawyers Strategy.
  2. Build a Solid Law Firm Website.
  3. Write Engaging Attorney Content.
  4. Start a Lawyer PPC Campaign.
  5. Register Your Law Firm in Relevant Listings and Directories.
  6. Engage in Reputation Management for Lawyers.

Is being a lawyer a career?

When choosing a career path to walk down, many decide to study and practice in this field because of the impact they can have on other people. Even though the title itself may seem one note, there are so many different roles within the profession—contract lawyers, environmental lawyers, family lawyers to name a few.

Is law a good career in the USA?

Law is one of the lucrative career options in terms of financial and intellectual benefits. You can earn a handsome salary depending upon your roles and responsibilities. For individuals who choose to associate themselves with law firms instead of independent practice, the salary might vary.

Law is a terrible career choice

34 related questions found

Is going into law worth it?

Key takeaways

The average lawyer salary is about $176,470. Many other careers pay six-figure salaries without the lengthy higher education commitment and costs that come with earning a law degree.

What percent of lawyers are happy?

64% of lawyers with 8+ years in practice report an overall job satisfaction of 7 or higher. For lawyers with fewer years of experience that drops to 52%. When asked about work-related issues, lawyers most frequently reported disrupted sleep and anxiety—regardless of the respondents' job satisfaction overall.

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.

Are lawyers actually paid well?

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.

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 kind of law pays the most?

As of 2024, the top five highest paid types of lawyers are:
  • Patent Attorneys.
  • Intellectual property (IP) Attorneys.
  • Trial Lawyers.
  • Tax Attorneys.
  • Corporate Lawyers.

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.

Can lawyers make 7 figures?

Corporate Lawyer (Partner)

Though that's far from pocket change, it's certainly not landing you in the earnings tier of a millionaire. That said, corporate lawyers generally stand to make the most and can pull in seven figures a year — if they make partner.

What do lawyers do all day?

Advise and represent clients in criminal or civil proceedings and in other legal matters. Communicate with clients, colleagues, judges, and others involved in a case. Conduct research and analysis of legal issues. Interpret laws, rulings, and regulations for individuals and businesses.

Is becoming a lawyer harder than a doctor?

Becoming a doctor would seen to be more difficult than becoming a lawyer, using educational requirements, length of studies, and financial considerations as the metrics.

Do lawyers get paid for losing?

Losing the Case

If a lawyer working on a contingency basis loses the case, they typically do not receive any payment for their work. This risk is inherent in the contingency fee model and is why lawyers carefully evaluate the merits of the case before taking it on.

Do all lawyers make 6 figures?

Lawyers in these states earn the highest median salaries: California ($175,680) New York ($172,880) Massachusetts ($161,530)

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.

Did Kim Kardashian pass the bar exam?

Kim Kardashian learned very quickly how hard bar exams can be. The California state bar is one of the most difficult states to pass, with a 40-50% pass rate. The first attempt rate, the second attempt, and after the third time, she finally passed!

How many times fail bar exam?

You're in luck! There is no limit to the number of times you can take the bar exam in the state of California.

What is the hardest state to become a lawyer?

California is widely considered to have the hardest bar exam, due to its low pass rate and the difficulty of the content and constraints of the exam.

What personality do most lawyers have?

Daicoff (2004) found that lawyers as a group have a slight tendency towards introversion, intuition, and judging (over extroversion, sensing, and perceiving). Furthermore, there is an overwhelming tendency to thinking over feeling. One study found that 75% of lawyers exhibit the thinking preference.

Do lawyers get depression?

A nationwide study of ~13,000 lawyers indicated that 28% experienced depression, 19% reported anxiety, 21% had alcohol use problems, and 11% had problems with drug use [3].

What percentage of lawyers quit?

The 2023 findings from 128 participating firms in the U.S. and Canada, reflect data from 5,236 associate hires and 3,875 associate departures. The findings also revealed an overall 2023 associate attrition rate of 18%, continuing the decline from 2022's 20% and 2021's historically high 26%.