Which lawyer gets paid the least?

Asked by: Kenyon Nicolas  |  Last update: July 22, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (49 votes)

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.

What is the lowest pay for a lawyer?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $148,350 and as low as $50,525, the majority of Entry Level Lawyer salaries currently range between $84,900 (25th percentile) to $110,700 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $140,825 annually in Los Angeles.

What type of lawyers are lowest paid?

Public interest lawyers and public defenders often find themselves on the lower end of the income spectrum due to the nature of their work, which prioritizes service over profit. Meanwhile, corporate lawyers and those in specialized legal fields typically command higher salaries.

What is the least a lawyer would make?

The median annual wage for lawyers was $145,760 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $69,760, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $239,200.

What type of lawyer goes to court the least?

There are many types of lawyers that rarely (if ever) go into court, as the scope of their work does not require it. These may include estate planning lawyers, labor lawyers, personal injury lawyers, and bankruptcy lawyers.

How much do Lawyers in Canada Earn?

39 related questions found

Which type of lawyer gets paid the most?

  • 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 type of law is least stressful?

Thus, for those seeking a rewarding and manageable legal practice, estate planning stands out as an accessible and fulfilling option.
  1. Real estate law: the calm of contracts and closings. ...
  2. Estate planning: beyond grave matters. ...
  3. Transactional IP law: where creativity meets law. ...
  4. Tax law: counting dollars, not hours.

Which lawyer is the easiest?

Many professional lawyers believe that real estate law is the least stressful and most accessible field compared to other law fields. A real estate lawyer must learn the basics while knowing the special provisions often repeated across different real estate cases.

What is the lowest GPA to become a lawyer?

What Is the Lowest GPA For Law School? Since the majority of law schools require a GPA of 3.0 or higher, anything below a 3.0 is considered very low. Some of the absolute lowest GPA requirements for schools are 2.80.

What type of lawyer pays the best?

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.

Do lawyers make $500 an hour?

For example, an attorney practicing in a small rural area in Kansas may earn $50 per hour for the same exact legal services performed by a lawyer in Los Angeles, Atlanta, or New York where hourly rates for the same legal service could be as high as $300 to $500 per hour.

Do losing lawyers still get paid?

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.

What is the best lawyer to make money?

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

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.

How difficult is law school?

Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.

What job makes the most money?

Get Matched!
  • 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.

Is a 2.7 GPA bad for law school?

Can I Get Into Law School With a 2.7 GPA? Most law schools will not consider a 2.7 GPA to be competitive. However, all hope isn't lost if this is the GPA you have. 25% of Western Michigan's accepted students have GPAs of 2.64.

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 is the easiest law degree to get?

The easiest law degree to earn is a Master of Legal Studies degree. For more information about earning a Master of Legal Studies or for help finding a program, reach out to Learn.org today.

Is doctor or lawyer easier?

In short, medical school is hands-on and requires a lot of memorization. Law school requires analytical work and critical thinking. Law school requires heavy reading and writing while medical school requires learning about problems through clinical studies and hands-on training.

What is the least stressful lawyer?

Fields of Law Generally Considered Less Stressful

It focuses more on drafting wills, trusts, and estate plans for clients. Transactional law, such as corporate or real estate law, involves lawyers primarily handling negotiations, contracts, and business transactions without the intensity of courtroom litigation.

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.

Which law is highest in demand?

Some of the most popular law specializations in India are – Civil Law, Criminal Law , Corporate Law , Cyber Law and Intellectual Property Law .

Where do most lawyers live?

The state with the most lawyers is New York. With its significant concentration of law firms, corporate headquarters, and financial institutions, New York has the highest number of practicing attorneys in the U.S., particularly in cities like New York City.

Which lawyer makes the most money?

Highest Paid Lawyers Around the World
  • 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.