What is the highest-paid lawyer?
Asked by: Micaela Murazik PhD | Last update: November 19, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (72 votes)
- Patent attorney: $180,000.
- Intellectual property (IP) attorney: $162,000.
- Trial lawyer: $134,000.
- Tax attorney: $122,000.
- Corporate lawyer: $115,000.
- Medical lawyer: $113,000.
- Real estate lawyer: $98,000.
- Family lawyer: $93,000.
What type of lawyer gets paid the most?
Corporate and tax lawyers tend to be the highest earners, with patent and IP lawyers not far behind. Trial lawyers also pull down a lot of money, particularly in the civil litigation field. Other lawyers are more motivated by getting justice for their clients than by collecting the largest possible paycheck.
What kind of lawyer gets the most money?
- Patent Attorneys.
- Intellectual property (IP) Attorneys.
- Trial Lawyers.
- Tax Attorneys.
- Corporate Lawyers.
Which field of lawyer makes the most money?
- Corporate Lawyers. Corporate law relates to the regulation of corporations, including their formation, management, and winding up. ...
- Tax Attorneys. ...
- Trial Lawyers. ...
- Intellectual Property Lawyers. ...
- Medical Lawyers. ...
- Real Estate Attorneys. ...
- Immigration Lawyers. ...
- Admiralty (Maritime) Lawyers.
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.
Big Law's Big Paychecks: Partner Compensation, Explained
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.
Who is the lowest paid lawyer?
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.
Which type of lawyer is the richest?
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.
What is the highest paying job in the world?
Topping the list, being a CEO gets you the highest paying job in the world, no matter where you work. A CEO is the highest-ranked position in any organisation's structure. Irrespective of the company's size, a CEO handles all its day-to-day corporate affairs, manages resources and handles all managerial processes.
Which field lawyer earns the most?
In India, tax lawyers are among the highest-paid legal professionals due to their specialised expertise. Corporate tax lawyer salary in India can range between ₹6 to ₹15 lakhs per year, while individual tax lawyer salary in India is estimated to be between ₹3 to ₹8 lakhs annually.
What type of law is the richest?
- Intellectual Property (IP) Lawyer. One reason IP lawyers are some of the highest-paid types of lawyers is that they require very specialized knowledge in distinct fields. ...
- Tax Attorneys. Tax codes are complex. ...
- Trial Attorney. ...
- Medical Lawyer. ...
- Patent Attorney. ...
- Corporate Lawyer. ...
- Real Estate Lawyer. ...
- Family Lawyer.
Do top lawyers make millions?
How Much Do Top Lawyers Make? According to ALM Global's 2023 Global 100 Ranked by Profits Per Equity Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP (the highest-paid lawyers in the United States) pays their equity partners a whopping $7.52 million per year.
Can lawyers make 300k a year?
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.
What is the highest paying job?
- Obstetrician and Gynecologist. #1 in Best-Paying Jobs. ...
- Psychiatrist. #2 in Best-Paying Jobs. ...
- Emergency Medicine Physician. #3 in Best-Paying Jobs. ...
- Orthodontist. #4 in Best-Paying Jobs. ...
- Anesthesiologist. #5 in Best-Paying Jobs. ...
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. #6 in Best-Paying Jobs. ...
- Radiologist. ...
- Pilot.
Do lawyers make 200k a year?
The median starting salary is $215,000 in 11 cities and geographic areas. They are Austin, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Houston; Los Angeles/Orange County, California; New York City; San Diego; San Francisco; Silicon Valley in California; and the Washington, D.C., area.
Can I be a millionaire as a lawyer?
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 is the highest position of a lawyer?
The highest level in a law firm is typically the senior partner, who has significant control over the firm's operations, strategic direction, and client management.
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.
Do losing lawyers get paid?
Contingency Fees
If the lawyer does not win, they do not receive a fee for their services. The contingency fee arrangement aligns the lawyer's interests with those of the client, as both parties benefit from a successful outcome.
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.
What lawyer job makes the most money?
Patent Attorney
Patent lawyers are the highest-paid types of lawyer in the legal world. Patent attorneys are responsible for protecting the intellectual property rights of inventions. Usually, the job of patent attorneys is to help inventors or creators to prepare, file, draft, and submit their patent applications.
What is a 1 figure salary?
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $173,000 and as low as $109,000, the majority of 1 Figure salaries currently range between $167,000 (25th percentile) to $173,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $173,000 annually across the United States.
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.
How do lawyers get paid so much?
Some fee arrangements work on contingency, where the attorney/firm will receive a percentage of the clients settlement or award. Others attorneys/firms might charge a flat rate or work on retainer. Some fee arrangements are governed by statute, like probate admin, where the fees come from the estate and not the client.