Legal consultant vs Lawyer

A legal consultant works in an advisory capacity for a client, while a lawyer offers a client representation before a judge or in other legal matters. A legal consultant is a professional who provides legal advice and strategies to individuals and organizations. While they can perform many of the same functions as a lawyer, legal consultants strictly provide services outside of the courtroom. They can work in many different areas of law including financial law, foreign affairs, real estate, as well as many others.

How To Become A Legal Consultant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a legal consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Shelley Sadin

A legal consultant is an individual that provides legal advice to clients, be it an individual or an organization. In essence, they help ensure that their client is acting or operating within the boundaries of the law, which is crucial in avoiding costly legal troubles.

Apart from providing legal advice, the duties of a legal consultant encompass helping clients deal with disputes, drafting legal documents, conducting in-depth analyses of data provided by clients, and defining the rights and legitimate interests of clients. Moreover, they also do new research work to help a client's case whenever necessary.

One would need to be a Juris doctor before becoming a legal consultant, which requires pre-law and law degrees. Passing the state bar is an advantage, but is not always required. Furthermore, an aspiring legal consultant must have substantial experience in the field of law that they are planning to specialize in.

The average salary for a legal consultant ranges between $34,000 to $138,000 per year. For legal consultants that want to earn a salary that is on the higher end of that spectrum, they would have to pass the state bar exam or garner more years of relevant experience.

What general advice would you give to a legal consultant?

Shelley Sadin

Associate Dean of Professional and Career Development, Quinnipiac University

Communicating clearly, both orally and in writing.

It is identifying and analyzing legal and factual issues with an open, thoughtful, and creative mind.

Working collaboratively with clients, colleagues, opponents, and others involved in a case to solve problems.

Being meticulously ethical and professional in all interactions. This includes treating everyone involved in a matter with respect; recognizing and honoring their different backgrounds and perspectives.

Being self-disciplined, motivated, resilient, courageous, kind, and flexible.

ScoreLegal ConsultantUS Average

Salary

5.9

Avg. Salary $75,024

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 6.39%

Black or African American 5.57%

Hispanic or Latino 7.79%

Unknown 4.38%

White 75.56%

Gender

female 51.04%

male 48.96%

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

Key steps to become a legal consultant

Explore legal consultant education requirements

Most common legal consultant degrees

Bachelor's

46.0 %

Doctorate

35.2 %

Master's

13.3 %

Start to develop specific legal consultant skills

Skills	Percentages
Litigation	16.12%
Regulatory Compliance	8.94%
Legal Research	8.18%
Financial Statements	5.46%
Client Relationships	5.11%

Complete relevant legal consultant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New legal consultants 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 a legal consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real legal consultant resumes.

Research legal consultant duties and responsibilities

Manage day-to-day legal affairs of NYSE list airline.
Experience includes analysis and advice regarding claims relate to exotic securities agreements.
Represent individual and institutional clients in all aspects of commercial and residential real estate acquisition, financing and leasing and foreclosure.
Audit key financial and claim-relate regulatory processes including Medicare fraud.

Prepare your legal consultant resume

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

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