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What is an attorney and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Expert
Hanna Royce
introduction image

An attorney's job is to be there for people who are down on their luck, legally, of course. They provide legal advice to individuals, businesses and even government agencies (yes, the government can get into trouble too).

While a degree in law may not sound too bad, this profession also requires that you pass the bar exam. Which, if you haven't heard of before, it's pretty difficult to pass. If you're willing to put in the study hours, though, the average attorney makes $122,960 a year. So that's definitely a plus.

What general advice would you give to an Attorney?

H

Hanna Royce

Assistant Dean of Career Services, University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law

Graduates should keep their network active. This includes them taking the time to re-engage with the members of their network on a regular basis and continuing to make new contacts. They should make it a priority to stay in touch with their classmates and professors. They might be looking for a new position in the future, and their legal network can help them locate opportunities through the hidden job market.

Many graduates are securing remote positions. To be successful in a remote environment, employees need to make the extra effort to communicate and stay connected with colleagues. Even when employees are telecommuting, they should dress as if they are going into the office. This can help them with productivity and illustrate their professionalism when meeting with colleagues or clients.
ScoreAttorneyUS Average
Salary
7.9

Avg. Salary $109,476

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 6.42%

Black or African American 5.60%

Hispanic or Latino 7.83%

Unknown 4.38%

White 75.45%

Gender

female 50.10%

male 49.90%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.9

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Attorney career paths

Key steps to become an attorney

  1. Explore attorney education requirements

    Most common attorney degrees

    Doctorate

    48.0 %

    Bachelor's

    39.6 %

    Master's

    5.4 %

  2. Start to develop specific attorney skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    		Percentages
    ascdesc
    Litigation18.66%
    Legal Research9.00%
    Law Firm8.17%
    Legal Issues6.11%
    Legal Advice4.97%
    Show more

  3. Complete relevant attorney training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New attorneys learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an attorney based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real attorney resumes.

  4. Research attorney duties and responsibilities

    • Manage the death administration department with approximately thirty-five plus estates through trust administration, Medicaid estate recovery or probate.
    • Respond to subpoenas and pleadings in litigation and in regulatory inquiries and investigations involving corporate clients.
    • Represent employers before federal administrative agencies, including inspections, administrative litigation, court-enforcement actions and appeals.
    • Litigate personal injury, and general liability matters, worker's compensation, estate planning and litigation, environmental liability litigation.

  5. Prepare your attorney resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your attorney resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an attorney resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Attorney Resume templates

    Build a professional Attorney resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Attorney resume.
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  6. Apply for attorney jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an attorney job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Attorney Job

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Average attorney salary

The average Attorney salary in the United States is $109,476 per year or $53 per hour. Attorney salaries range between $69,000 and $172,000 per year.

Average Attorney Salary
$109,476 Yearly
$52.63 hourly
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How do attorneys rate their job?

5/5

Based On 1 Ratings

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Attorney reviews

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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019
Pros

As a civil litigation defense attorney I love the fact that every day is different. I enjoy assisting clients who have a problem to solve that problem in the most cost effective way, and how to avoid such problems in the future. I like that I basically set my own work schedule (other than court dates).

Cons

Billing hours. Unscrupulous opposing counsel. Occasional biased judges who do not follow the law.

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Attorney FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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