← All 785 jobsFile 23-1011
Lawyers
Also filed here: Lawyer, Advocate, Attorney, Legal counsel, Solicitor, Barrister and 1 more
Lightly edited
AI performs some of this work. Most of it still needs a person. The BLS expects 4.7% more of these jobs by 2035, faster than the 3.5% average.
Legal work often runs on specialised, compliant AI tools that consumer Copilot data does not see, so this file probably understates how much AI touches it.
- Rank
- #194 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +4.7% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $159,670 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 863,700 in the US, with about 28,700 openings a year
The work, 12 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
Still yours: Present information in legal proceedings20%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Research laws, precedents, or other legal data19%
AI performed this in about 1 in 1,733 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
AI does this: Advise others on legal or regulatory matters14%
AI performed this in about 1 in 456 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
AI helps with this: Consult legal materials or public records12%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 748 conversations, and it got them there 81% of the time.
Still yours: Interview people to obtain information9%
People try AI for this, but it seldom finishes the work in full.
Still yours: Prepare legal or regulatory documents7%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Supervise personnel activities4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Negotiate contracts or agreements4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Discuss legal matters with clients, disputants, or legal professionals or staff4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Mediate disputes3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Record information about legal matters3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Draft legislation or regulations1%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 105 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
About 28,700 openings a year, from growth and from people who retire or move on.
BLS on AISome routine legal work may be automated, but BLS expects automation to free lawyers for other tasks rather than cut demand. Source ↗
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 25% of the workJudges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates7% AI does, against 33% here+2.8% by 2035 · $153,990 · Doctoral or professional degree
- Shares 43% of the workArbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators16% AI does, against 33% here+4.7% by 2035 · $75,530 · Bachelor’s degree
- Shares 43% of the workAdministrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers20% AI does, against 33% here0% by 2035 · $117,860 · Doctoral or professional degree
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.18, higher than 63% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Legal work often runs on specialised, compliant AI tools that consumer Copilot data does not see, so this file probably understates how much AI touches it.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 23-1011 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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