Table of Contents
Society is governed by a set of complex laws and acting in the most efficient manner within the law often requires a thorough knowledge of how the law works. Lawyers are legal experts who represent and advise clients on a wide range of legal matters in defense of criminals in court to help business owners create contracts and leases. Becoming a lawyer usually requires a bachelor’s degree, a three-year law degree and passing a state exam.
Income range
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the average annual income of lawyers is US $ 130,490 5 2011 based on an average salary of US $ 62.74 per hour. The 25 percent workers in terms of annual income earned more than US $ 187,199. The “Wall Street Journal,” says leading US law firms can earn more than $ 1 million a year. The lawyers in the lower quarter of the salary scale earn US $ 75,370 and the workers in the lower tenth earn US $ 54,120.
Revenue by State
Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that the attorneys of the District of Columbia directed the nation in terms of annual salary in May 2011, earning US $ 161,050 a year on average. California employs most lawyers in any state and also ranks second in terms of annual income, earning US $ 156,570 a year on average. Attorneys in Delaware earn $ 151,290 on average and New York attorneys earn $ 151,080 on average.
Main industries
Most lawyers work for private law firms and provide legal services to clients, but some companies hire their own lawyers to reduce the need to hire law firms. The labor statistics office says that lawyers in the legal services industry earned an average of US $ 137,170 in May 2011, while lawyers involved in the management of companies and companies earned US $ 161,570. Attorneys hired by local governments earned $ 93,070 on average, state attorneys made $ 81,960 and federal attorneys earned $ 129,430 on average.
Career perspective
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the total number of jobs for lawyers will grow by 10 percent from 2010 to 2020. This annual growth rate is slightly lower than the national average expected for all jobs. The high salaries offered by jobs in the legal field tend to attract many capable workers, which increases competition for jobs. New graduates in law should expect strong competition for jobs, since the number of new graduates may exceed the number of new jobs.