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Job outlook for corporate lawyers in the United States
Corporate lawyer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected corporate lawyer job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 80,200 new jobs for corporate lawyers are projected over the next decade.
Corporate lawyer salaries have increased 7% for corporate lawyers in the last 5 years.
There are over 8,483 corporate lawyers currently employed in the United States.
There are 12,747 active corporate lawyer job openings in the US.
The average corporate lawyer salary is $127,152.
Are corporate lawyer jobs in demand?
Corporate lawyer job and salary trends over time
Corporate lawyer jobs over time
Corporate lawyer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,483 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 8,198 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 8,186 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 8,006 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 7,827 | 0.00% |
Average corporate lawyer salary over time
Corporate lawyer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $127,152 | $61.13 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $123,176 | $59.22 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $121,122 | $58.23 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $119,459 | $57.43 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $118,367 | $56.91 | +2.0% |
Corporate lawyer jobs by state
Most common states for corporate lawyers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 51 | 7% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 217 | 3% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 205 | 3% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 26 | 3% |
| 5 | California | 39,536,653 | 763 | 2% |
| 6 | New York | 19,849,399 | 367 | 2% |
| 7 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 207 | 2% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 147 | 2% |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 103 | 2% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 91 | 2% |
| 11 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 69 | 2% |
| 12 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 310 | 1% |
| 13 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 114 | 1% |
| 14 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 110 | 1% |
| 15 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 73 | 1% |
| 16 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 67 | 1% |
| 17 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 49 | 1% |
| 18 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 35 | 1% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 15 | 1% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 7 | 1% |
Most common cities for corporate lawyers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamilton | 1 | 2% | $86,482 |
Corporate Lawyer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of corporate lawyer experts
Suffolk University
Cornell University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Georgia
Oakland University
Seton Hall University School of Law
Pace University
Quinnipiac University
What general advice would you give to a Corporate Lawyer?
Andrele St. Val: You can maximize your salary potential by learning how to negotiate and then being sure you do it. Know that employers will try to pay you the minimum. Know your worth, even when starting out, and ask for it. Also, take the time to harness your skills. This can be in the form of becoming an expert in your area of the law or sharpening your 'soft skills' like negotiations.
What Corporate Lawyer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Andrele St. Val: The skill that will become more important and prevalent in the next 3 to 5 years is knowing how to ethically leverage the use of technology to practice law more efficiently. For example, knowing how to engineer prompts to get results when using AI while also adhering to the rules of professional responsibility is going to be very useful in practice.
What will help Corporate Lawyers increase their earning potential?
Andrele St. Val: Take this opportunity to learn how to practice and be a lawyer. You learned how to think like a lawyer in law school, now it is time for you to learn how to be a lawyer. You do this by getting a mentor to help you navigate the first couple of years of practice. Be open to advice and guidance.
Michael Bolden Former First Justice/Boston Municipal Court/Retired
Suffolk University
Law
What general advice would you give to a Corporate Lawyer?
Michael Bolden Former First Justice/Boston Municipal Court/Retired: While maximizing a salary is an important consideration for all of us, my experience is that money alone will not be enough to overcome a miserable work environment. It is my advice that one must balance compensation with a healthy work environment. That being said, your best strategy to maximize your compensation was when you were in school. Emphasize your diversity of experience (clinical programs, internships and work experience even nonlegal jobs). Think about the fact that there will be many candidates for the job you're seeking. Ask yourself 'why should you be hired over all the other candidates. Everyone looks good on paper, what do you bring to the table that the other candidates do not. Speaking a second language or studying abroad are examples of how you can distinguish yourself from the rest of the pack. Finally, do your homework and find out what the realistic salary range is being offered. Then using the above experiences, you can argue why you should be considered for the higher compensation.
What Corporate Lawyer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Bolden Former First Justice/Boston Municipal Court/Retired: It is hard to predict what areas of law will become prevalent in the next few years, my advice to young attorneys is to train to become a quick study and nimble so you can pivot to new areas of law going forward. Also, make this willingness to learn new things known to your supervisor so they can support you in your willingness to stay current.
What will help Corporate Lawyers increase their earning potential?
Michael Bolden Former First Justice/Boston Municipal Court/Retired: My general advice to a graduate beginning their career in the law would be.....Do not think you have to make your ultimate career decision in your first job. As time goes on you may find out that what you thought you liked is not fulfilling and giving you the satisfaction you were hoping to get by being a lawyer. Give yourself permission to make a change in your career path while you hone your skills and gain experience. As a result, as you go forward keep your eyes and options open so you may end up in a place where you are getting the satisfaction you dreamed about practicing law.
What general advice would you give to a Corporate Lawyer?
Mohamed Arafa SJD: I think this is really significant and important (on time) article. Happy to be quoted in your piece.
What Corporate Lawyer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mohamed Arafa SJD: I will be more than happy to respond to your questions on the job legal market (law majors/fields) after graduating w/the JD/law degree from the law school.
What will help Corporate Lawyers increase their earning potential?
Mohamed Arafa SJD: LMK when it’s good for you and we can proceed for a Zoom call or so! Just make sure that there is 7 hours ahead between NY and Riyadh.
What general advice would you give to a Corporate Lawyer?
Ms. Debbie Snyder: Lawyers find fulfillment and satisfaction in their chosen path for a variety of reasons. First, is the intellectual challenge - lawyers are constantly thinking critically, analyzing and problem-solving in their daily work. Second, lawyers are motivated by making a positive impact on the lives of others or their community. Lawyers have the opportunity to advocate for justice and uphold the rule of law. Since lawyers are problem solvers, the work can be particularly satisfying for those who enjoy finding innovative solutions and making strategic decisions. As stated previously, a legal career can be financially stable and lucrative, depending on the setting. The legal profession can also be demanding and stressful, with lawyers working long hours in high-pressure environments. Billable hour requirements can lead to burnout. Managing client expectations can be challenging. However, despite these challenges, many lawyers find ways to manage these aspects and derive satisfaction from their careers through a combination of their passion for the law and a desire to help others.
What Corporate Lawyer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ms. Debbie Snyder: There is always a need for lawyers. Legal needs persist regardless of economic conditions, ensuring a consistent demand for lawyers. Lawyers can work in a variety of settings, including private practice (law firms), government, business and industry, non-profit organizations and academia, offering a wide range of experiences. In addition, the work can be intellectually stimulating and personally fulfilling by making a positive impact on society. Finally, a career in law tends to have financial stability.
What will help Corporate Lawyers increase their earning potential?
Ms. Debbie Snyder: New lawyers are primarily responsible for research and writing. If working in a law firm setting, new lawyers are known as associates and conduct legal research, draft legal documents such as motions, briefs, memos or contracts and collaborate with partners and/or senior associates to assist clients with their legal needs. Associates may help in preparing cases for trial by reviewing and analyzing documents, organizing evidence, and attending hearings and depositions. New attorneys working in-house (i.e. for a corporation) will assist the company with their legal needs, whether it involves litigation or transactional work. Assistant District Attorneys represent the government in prosecuting criminal cases. This work involves legal research and writing, evaluating cases and evidence and appearing in court. Public Defenders represent individuals who cannot afford to hire an attorney. They also perform legal research and writing, as well as counsel their clients and represent them in the courtroom.
What general advice would you give to a Corporate Lawyer?
Dustin Marlan: This is an exciting time to be a lawyer given advances in technology. Unlike some other fields, law does not appear to be a field that will be “taken over” by generative AI, but rather AI will hopefully make some of the more monotonous work that a lawyer needs to handle less tedious and time-consuming. There should always be a need for the human element in law given the inherent subjectivities in comprehending and interpreting the law. I’m not sure that’s the case with every professional discipline, though, unfortunately.
What Corporate Lawyer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dustin Marlan: In terms of positives, my students and I enjoy working on intellectually stimulating work, law is often a lucrative way of making a living, and the pursuit of achieving justice is incredibly rewarding. Law does often involve long hours, can be mentally or emotionally taxing and, while intellectual creativity abounds, the artistic creativity found in some other humanities-centered vocations is lacking.
What will help Corporate Lawyers increase their earning potential?
Dustin Marlan: The daily responsibilities of a lawyer vary greatly based on what type of law they practice. Some lawyers are litigators, meaning they work to resolve disputes in their client’s favor. Other lawyers are transactional lawyers, and work to either prevent disputes from occurring, or put their clients in the best possible future position should one be inevitable. For those entering the field, junior lawyers will likely serve in research support roles and may have less client interaction than more senior lawyers, although this will vary depending on the sector, employer, or practice group. In any case, lawyers need to use both analytical skills in research, writing and solving difficult legal problems, as well as emotional intelligence and intuition in interacting with and counseling their clients.
What general advice would you give to a Corporate Lawyer?
Brian Mink: Lean into emerging trends and areas of interest, read about them daily, volunteer for related assignments, seek opportunities to publish articles or teach CLEs. Building expertise in a specific area can open up new opportunities and increase salary potential.
What Corporate Lawyer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Brian Mink: Graduates entering the legal profession will need to be highly adaptable and willing to learn new skills in addition to their legal expertise.
What will help Corporate Lawyers increase their earning potential?
Brian Mink: Attorneys will spend less time on repetitive work product like contract drafting and research. It will be more important for attorneys to develop skills like understanding clients' businesses, project management, team management, vendor interaction, and effectively using AI.
What general advice would you give to a Corporate Lawyer?
Jennifer Thor: There are many ways to maximize your salary in this career field. First and foremost, is to keep your GPA up. GPA is a huge factor that law schools consider when making admissions decisions. Second, try and get some experience. Intern in an HR department; shadow a lawyer who practices in an area of law you are interested in; see if the local court takes on interns or maybe the local prosecutor's office; or volunteer with a civil rights organization that is fighting for principles that you care about. Lastly, improve your leadership skills. Join a campus group and help them achieve their goals. You do not have to become the president of the group, but you could maybe take on the chair of a committee.
What Corporate Lawyer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jennifer Thor: The most important skill they can learn is effective communication. Legal Studies students need to be able to communicate both in writing and verbally. This is a skill that has always been an important one for legal studies students and it will be necessary in the future as well. Although AI can help with the drafting of certain documents and emails, it will not be able to help with client meetings, board presentations, arguing before a jury, and writing legal briefs. Taking advantage of courses offered at their university that improve their writing and speaking skills will make them a valuable asset to any organization they join.
What will help Corporate Lawyers increase their earning potential?
Jennifer Thor: First, Oakland University does not have a legal studies degree; however, through our Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies, students have been able to create their own legal studies program combining legal courses across multiple disciplines. The majority of legal studies students tend to go to law school after graduation. They typically want to continue learning about the law in order to become a lawyer. So for those graduates, I highly recommend speaking with a pre-law adviser as they begin their junior year. That adviser will give them information about taking the LSAT and what that student will need to do to make sure their application to law school is in perfect order. For those students who do not want to go to law school, but who want to work in a law firm, I recommend that they obtain a paralegal certificate. The combination of the law courses in their bachelor's degree and the procedural courses offered in a paralegal program will make that individual very attractive to law firms. Lastly, for those students who don't want to go to law school or work in a law firm, their legal studies degree is still very valuable. Many jobs require at least some understanding of the law. For example, working in HR requires knowledge about the various federal and state employment laws that impact wages and benefits. It also requires a general understanding of contract law and the law regarding workplace discrimination. Individuals working in a purchasing department need to understand contract law and depending on the type of items being purchased an understanding of the Uniform Commercial Code as well. I recommend that these students investigate different career paths and meet with their Career and Life Coaches on campus.
June Forrest
Assistant Dean of Career ServicesSeton Hall University School of Law
Office of Career Services
What skills stand out on Corporate Lawyer resumes?
June Forrest: Experiential skills stand out---reading, research, and writing skills that have been honed through judicial and other externships or summer positions stand out on the resumes of students seeking first jobs. In the trenches, litigation skills and other practice skills stand out on the resumes of lawyers seeking new gigs. Everyone wants an experienced lawyer who can present their case and win!
What soft skills should all Corporate Lawyers possess?
June Forrest: Communication is the most important skill for a lawyer---being able to communicate clearly, concisely, and understanding a client is a great skill to develop and have. Being able to think quickly on your feet and creatively to fashion an argument is important. And, of course, having good judgment is important! So too, lawyers work hard, so having determination is important too---and understanding people--both clients, adversaries, judges, juries. Good people skills are the mark of any great lawyer---and so is a good sense of humor! Lawyers are people, and clients are people. Likable lawyers do best out there----do you want to work around someone grumpy or a team player? Do you want a lawyer who is annoyed to take your call or who welcomes your questions? Being “likable” goes a long way in terms of success in the workplace.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Corporate Lawyers?
June Forrest: Lawyers need to be able to read, research, write. Those are both hard and soft skills. Being familiar with new technology used in discovery and in the courtroom is important too---law schools are devoting whole classes to that kind of technology now.
What skills will help Corporate Lawyers earn the most?
June Forrest: Skills alone will not help you “earn the most.” Starting out, big law pays the most, and to get there, you have to have great grades and great research and writing skills. You have to have demonstrated excellence in law school by being on a journal and having things like moot court on your resume. Once you get out, you make your own destiny, and the sky can be the limit. Great litigation skills will take you a long way if you can develop them.
Leslie Garfield Tenzer
Professor of Law, Luk-Cummings Family Faculty ScholarPace University
Elisabeth Haub School of Law
What skills stand out on Corporate Lawyer resumes?
Leslie Garfield Tenzer: Research and writing. I would encourage every student eligible to participate in their school's law review or law journals. Participation communicates to employers that you are committed to taking on extra work and demonstrates that you have developed your legal research and writing skills beyond the core curriculum.
What soft skills should all Corporate Lawyers possess?
Leslie Garfield Tenzer: Eye contact, clarity of expression, willingness to work hard, ability to accept criticism, and strong networking skills.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Corporate Lawyers?
Leslie Garfield Tenzer: Legal research, editing skills, and most importantly, an ability to analyze the law.
What skills will help Corporate Lawyers earn the most?
Leslie Garfield Tenzer: In the short run, the skill of providing the partners with quality work. In the long run, cultivating clients.
William Logue
Director of Dispute Resolution Training Interim Director of Summer ProgramsQuinnipiac University
Law
What general advice would you give to a Corporate Lawyer?
William Logue: New graduates in dispute resolution will face a different world than just a few months ago.
If graduates want to start as an independent third-party neutral, it will be challenging to establish a reputation, and bring in business. There are many other opportunities to use and apply the skills - as specialized conflict managers, and dispute resolvers, or using those skills that will make them more useful and valued as part of another job.
Graduates should look at where their skills can be used within organizations - that may be as a mediator, in an ombuds office, in HR, or as a project facilitator. They should think of how their dispute resolution skills can supplement other substantive knowledge to help the organization move forward - especially with more remote work and the tensions that can bring. They can also think about how they can skillfully facilitate work between workgroups and divisions, and act as conflict coaches to individuals.