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Profession JRI–78 / Legal

Will AI replace lawyers?

Lawyers represent clients in legal proceedings, draft documents, and advise on rights and obligations. Core tasks include preparing contracts, negotiating agreements, interpreting laws, and analyzing case precedents.

The risk spectrum — where Lawyer sits
Lawyer vs the 82 other jobs
Risk rank78 / 83
Automation timeline5-10 years
Median salary$159,670
Projected growth+4.1% (2024–34)
01 / Your plan

The skills that keep you relevant.

Picked to match what this role actually asks for — refreshed weekly, never by what a platform pays.

What you'll learn
Critical ThinkingNegotiationData Mining Software
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Updated Aug 10, 2026

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02 / Job market

Official outlook: still growing.

Within the 83 professions
Salary$159,670
$31k$171k
Growth+4.1% (2024–34)
-25.9%33.5%

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a +4.1% change in employment for this occupation between 2024 and 2034, from a current base of 754,500 people employed earning a median of $159,670 a year.

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–34 & OEWS May 2025.

AI adoption in postings →

JRI demand index / weekly, base 100120
Aug 3Aug 10

Collected weekly through our own intake pipeline across live job postings; normalised index, not absolute counts.

03 / Real salaries

Lawyer salaries by city

Median pay from real records (H-1B filings and tech job postings), across the cities with most observations.

New York$230,000San Francisco$225,000Washington$235,000Los Angeles$225,000Chicago$175,511Houston$225,000

Range shows p25–p75; the dot is the median. Sources carry a documented bias — see the full salary page.

See real salaries →

04 / How to enter

How to become a lawyer.

Typical preparation

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Education

Most of these occupations require graduate school.

Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

Job training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Getting in is one thing — the day-to-day runs on a specific set of tools and skills:

Skills employers ask for

From real job postings for this role — click to explore who asks for them.

Source: O*NET 30.0 database (CC BY 4.0).

06 / FAQ

What people ask.

01Will AI replace lawyers?
AI will not erase the need for Lawyers, but it will shift tasks. The risk score is 31, indicating medium exposure, and automation is expected within 5-10 years. Document review and legal research are most affected, while human judgment and advocacy retain high value.
02How soon could artificial intelligence affect Lawyers' work?
For Lawyers, significant automation impact is projected within a 5-10 year horizon. The medium risk score is 31, meaning some tasks like contract review may be automated sooner than complex litigation. However, negotiation and courtroom advocacy are likely to persist through that period.
03What skills keep Lawyers relevant in their profession?
Critical thinking and negotiation are high-demand skills for Lawyers, alongside active listening and speaking. Data mining software, while medium in demand, helps Lawyers work with large document sets. Strengthening these abilities supports strategic counsel, which AI cannot yet fully mimic.
04How does someone become a Lawyer, and what preparation is needed?
Becoming a Lawyer typically requires a graduate school education, per the occupational profile. Preparation also involves developing speaking, active listening, and critical thinking skills, all rated high for entry. These competencies support the ability to interpret laws and analyze cases.
05Is starting a Lawyers career in 2026 a good idea?
For those weighing a 2026 start, Lawyers earn a median compensation of 159,670 dollars, with projected growth of +4.1% for the 2024-34 period. There are 754,500 lawyers employed today, and the 5-10 year automation outlook suggests stable near-term demand.
06What daily tasks do Lawyers typically perform?
Lawyers prepare, draft, and review legal documents such as wills, deeds, and contracts. They also negotiate agreements, interpret laws and rulings, and analyze case precedents. Tools like Microsoft Access and Adobe Acrobat support these activities, which include advising clients on legal rights and obligations.