Lawyers
SOC Code: 23-1011 Job Zone 5: Extensive Preparation Needed
Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Lawyers. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $150,883 | $232,253 | $313,622 | $394,992 |
| Fresno, CA | $125,216 | $204,859 | $284,482 | $364,125 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $123,094 | $198,765 | $274,414 | $350,085 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $115,690 | $192,774 | $269,838 | $346,923 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $105,477 | $181,626 | $257,795 | $333,944 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $108,389 | $180,627 | $252,886 | $325,125 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $114,338 | $175,989 | $237,619 | $299,270 |
| Midland, MI | $109,574 | $171,870 | $234,187 | $296,483 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $99,840 | $163,030 | $226,200 | $289,390 |
| Boulder, CO | $98,010 | $157,352 | $216,694 | $276,037 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP | 221 | $255,335 |
| LATHAM & WATKINS LLP | 211 | $284,241 |
| DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL LLP | 186 | $278,238 |
| WHITE & CASE LLP | 182 | $2,857,191 |
| Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP | 167 | $296,658 |
| Kirkland & Ellis LLP | 156 | $317,237 |
| SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP | 117 | $220,911 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | 90 | $171,569 |
| Linklaters LLP | 86 | $267,292 |
| Sidley Austin (US) LLP | 84 | $281,700 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 262 | $170,289 |
| 2021 | 398 | $197,584 |
| 2022 | 288 | $218,055 |
| 2023 | 1,084 | $443,153 |
| 2024 | 2,002 | $660,184 |
| 2025 | 2,553 | $1,278,078 |
| 2026 | 319 | $4,132,009 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.6 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.5 | |
| Critical Thinking | 4.5 | |
| Active Listening | 4.5 | |
| Writing | 4.2 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.1 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.1 | |
| Negotiation | 4.0 | |
| Persuasion | 4.0 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.8 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Law and Government | 5.0 |
| English Language | 4.7 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.0 |
| Administrative | 3.2 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.1 |
| Communications and Media | 3.0 |
| Administration and Management | 2.8 |
| Education and Training | 2.6 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Post-first professional | 77.2% |
| First professional degree (MD, JD) | 22.8% |
Typical Tasks
- Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
- Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
- Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
- Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
- Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
- Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Adobe Acrobat Google Analytics Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Project Microsoft Word SAP software ADC Legal Systems Perfect Practice ADERANT Expert Matter Center Abacus Data Systems AbacusLaw AbacusNext HotDocs Advanced Technologies Class Act
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