What's the highest-paid lawyer?
Asked by: Melvina Wiegand | Last update: August 10, 2025Score: 4.2/5 (42 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.
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.
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.
Which lawyer's salary is the highest?
Corporate tax lawyers earn the highest salaries, ranging from Rs. 6 to Rs. 15 lakhs annually. On the other hand, individual tax lawyers tend to earn lower salaries, ranging from Rs.
What I REALLY Do In a Day as a Corporate Lawyer in London - Tasks, Hours & Salaries
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.
Do top lawyers make millions?
In general, the five highest-paying states for lawyers are as follows: California ($201,530) Massachusetts ($196,230) New York ($188,900)
Which field of lawyer makes most money?
Patent Attorney Salary
Patent attorneys are the highest-paid type of lawyers, with an average salary of $185,351, ranging from $119,88 to $285,530. Various factors contribute to a patent attorney's average salary, including experience, firm, location, and subject matter expertise.
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.
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.
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.
What type of lawyer is best paid?
- Civil litigation attorney. ...
- Real estate attorney. ...
- Intellectual property attorney. ...
- Bankruptcy lawyer. ...
- Family lawyer. ...
- Tax attorney. ...
- Corporate attorney. ...
- Patent attorney.
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.
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.
What 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Can lawyers make 200k a year?
The largest pay increase in actual dollars was in firms of 501 to 700 lawyers, in which the median base salary increased $45,000—from $155,000 in 2021 to $200,000 in 2023. The median first-year salary in firms of more than 1,000 lawyers was $215,000 in 2023.
How are most lawyers paid?
Hourly rates are the most common arrangement. Here, the attorney gets paid an agreed-upon hourly rate for time spent working on a client's case. Lawyers typically charge their hourly rate in 6-minute intervals (by the 10th of the hour).
What kind of law pays the most?
- Medical Lawyers – Average Annual Salary of $138,431. ...
- Intellectual Property Attorneys – Average Annual Salary of $128,913. ...
- Trial Attorneys – Average Annual Salary of $97,158. ...
- Tax Attorneys – Average Annual Salary of $101,204. ...
- Corporate Lawyers – Average Annual Salary of $116,361.
Why are big law salaries so high?
Why does Big Law pay so well? Big Law firms pay well in part because of the extremely competitive market, in which firms are raising salaries to keep up with each other and capture top talent. That competition is creating a wider divide between the largest firms and the midlevel and small firms.
Who is the highest paid lawyer in America?
Peter Angelos | $2 Billion
The wealthiest lawyer in North America, Peter Angelos earned his J.D. from the University of Baltimore and gained prominence in asbestos litigation, securing over $100 million from a single case.