What percent of lawyers are unhappy?

Asked by: Arnaldo Jast  |  Last update: August 18, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (37 votes)

More than 13,000 working lawyers responded to the survey, and reported that: 28 percent lawyers suffered from depression. 19 percent of lawyers had severe anxiety.

What percentage of lawyers are depressed?

Key findings from the study include: Roughly half of practicing attorneys are experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety, with approximately 30% of those falling in the mild range and nearly 20% falling in the moderate-severe range.

What percentage of lawyers are happy?

64% of lawyers with 8+ years in practice report an overall job satisfaction of 7 or higher.

What percent of lawyers make $500,000?

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.

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.

Seven Out of Ten Lawyers Would Leave Law Practice

44 related questions found

Which lawyers get sued the most?

Areas of Practice With the Highest Frequency
  1. Personal Injury and Property Damage – Plaintiff. ...
  2. Collections and Bankruptcy. ...
  3. Real Estate. ...
  4. Estate, Trust and Probate. ...
  5. Family Law. ...
  6. Business Transaction / Commercial Law.

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.

How rich is the average lawyer?

In general, the five highest-paying states for lawyers are as follows: California ($201,530) Massachusetts ($196,230) New York ($188,900)

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.

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 type of lawyer is the most happy?

If you're practicing law for reasons of self-realization or altruism, you're likely to be happier than someone whose work motivation revolves around money or recognition.

Are lawyers becoming oversaturated?

Law School Myth 5:

The job market for lawyers is oversaturated. While it is true that there are more law school graduates than there are jobs available in some markets, the job market for lawyers is actually quite strong overall.

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.

What is the burnout rate for lawyers?

Law.com's midlevel associate survey from August 2019 revealed that burnout was a growing concern even pre-pandemic. More recently, the Bloomberg Law Workload and Hours Survey showed that lawyers reported feeling burned out an average of 44%-52% of the time over the span of the survey.

How many people quit being a lawyer?

Before the pandemic, the average associate attrition rate at Am Law 100 firms was reported at 16%. 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.

What percentage of lawyers are millionaires?

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 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.

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.

What is the richest type of lawyer?

Highest-Paid Types of Lawyers
  • 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.

Are lawyers considered upper class?

The upper-middle-class usually evolves out of people from the middle-class tier who are particularly resourceful or who achieve higher levels of education than the rest of the middle class. Examples of these people in today's society are doctors and lawyers.

Can lawyers make 300k a year?

More experienced lawyers, those with 11-15 years of experience, earn notably more. Of those in practice 11-15 years, 35% earn between $200,000-$249,999, and 18% reported earning $250,000-$299,999.

What not to tell a lawyer?

Eight Things You Shouldn't Say to Your Lawyer
  • Do Not Say Anything to Your Attorney That Is Not True. ...
  • Do Not Exaggerate Your Injuries When Talking to Your Lawyer. ...
  • Do Not Tell Your Lawyer to Act On Your Behalf and Take Other Action Without Their Awareness.

How do you tell if you have a good lawyer?

Do not focus solely on case outcomes; read what others say about a firm's conduct. Were they professional, punctual, and supportive? Did they go the extra mile to make the client feel included in the legal process? These reviews can be helpful as you decide whether a law firm deserves your trust.

What is an example of a bad lawyer?

Other signs of an incompetent lawyer include poor communication, missed deadlines, lack of knowledge about relevant laws, unpreparedness in court, and general disorganization in handling cases.