lawyer
Role lens
Interested in a career where you can advocate for others and navigate complex legal issues? As a lawyer, you'll use your analytical skills and legal knowledge to represent clients and ensure justice is served.
Lawyers are essential professionals who provide legal advice and representation. Your days might involve researching case law, drafting legal documents, negotiating settlements, and presenting arguments in court or before administrative boards. The work requires meticulous attention to detail, strong communication skills, and a commitment to upholding the law. You'll be interpreting statutes and regulations to advise clients on their rights and obligations, and working to find legal solutions to their problems.
- • Researching legal precedents and statutes to build strong cases.
- • Advising clients on their legal rights and options.
- • Drafting legal documents such as contracts, wills, and pleadings.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Legal, social and cultural professionals — 186 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway.
Longest-running shortage: Luxembourg, 4 years.
Where it is regulated, your qualification would need formal recognition before you could practise.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
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Could lawyer fit you?
Answer three quick questions. This is not a full assessment — it is a teaser to help you decide whether to compare your profile.
Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Dependability?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Integrity?
Future Outlook for lawyer
The outlook for lawyer reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could lawyer change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could lawyer change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- respond to enquiries
- observe confidentiality
- negotiate in legal cases
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- analyse legal evidence
- present legal arguments
- represent clients in courts
Tasks most exposed to automation
- compile legal documents
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Public Service & Safety
A typical day as a lawyer
09 09:00 · Morning analyse legal evidence
10 10:30 · Mid-morning compile legal documents
12 12:00 · Midday interpret law
14 14:00 · Afternoon negotiate in legal cases
15 15:30 · Late afternoon negotiate lawyer's fee
17 17:00 · Wrap-up observe confidentiality
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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private law
The subfield of law that studies the legal framework that regulates the relationships between individuals as well as between individuals and the government in a country. It includes property law and trust, family law, contract law and the law of tort. In some legal systems, it is referred as common law.
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air transport law
The rules and regulations governing air transport, including international law.
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anti-dumping law
The policies and regulations that govern the activity of charging a lower price for goods in a foreign market than one charges for the same goods in a domestic market.
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architecture regulations
The regulations, statutes, and legal agreements existing in the European Union in the field of architecture.
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commercial law
The legal regulations that govern a specific commercial activity.
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customs law
The legal regulations that govern the import of goods in a country.
- court procedures
- legal case management
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protect client interests
Protect the interests and needs of a client by taking necessary actions, and researching all possibilities, to ensure that the client obtains their favoured outcome.
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present arguments persuasively
Present arguments during a negotiation or debate, or in written form, in a persuasive manner in order to obtain the most support for the case the speaker or writer represents.
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present legal arguments
Present legal arguments during a court hearing or during negotiations, or in written form after a trial concerning its outcome and sentence, in order to ensure the best possible outcomes for the client or to ensure the decision is followed. Present these arguments in a manner that is compliant with regulations and guidelines and adapted to the specifications of the case.
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represent clients in courts
Assume the position of representation in behalf of clients in courtrooms. Present arguments and evidence in favour of the client in order to win the case.
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compile legal documents
Compile and collect legal documents from a specific case in order to aid an investigation or for a court hearing, in a manner compliant with legal regulations and ensuring records are properly maintained.
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negotiate in legal cases
Negotiate on the client's behalf during the treatment of a legal case in order to obtain the most beneficial outcome for the client, and to ensure that all decisions are compliant with legal regulations.
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analyse legal evidence
Analyse evidence, such as evidence in criminal cases, legal documentation regarding a case, or other documentation that can be regarded as evidence, in order to obtain a clear image of the case and reach resolutions.
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interpret law
Interpret the law during the investigation of a case in order to know the correct procedures in handling the case, the specific status of the case and the parties involved, the possible outcomes, and how to present the best arguments for the most favourable outcome.
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respond to enquiries
Respond to enquiries and requests for information from other organisations and members of the public.
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observe confidentiality
Observe the set of rules establishing the nondisclosure of information except to another authorised person.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does lawyer fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of education and training is required to become a lawyer?
- Typically, becoming a lawyer requires completing a bachelor's degree followed by a law degree (such as an LL.B. or J.D.). After law school, you’ll need to pass a bar examination and meet other licensing requirements in the jurisdiction where you intend to practice.
- What are the most important skills for a lawyer to possess?
- Strong analytical skills, excellent written and verbal communication, critical thinking, attention to detail, and the ability to negotiate effectively are all crucial. The ability to remain calm and persuasive under pressure is also highly valued.
- Is it common to work as a lawyer in private practice, or is it mostly an employment-based role?
- While many lawyers find employment with firms, government agencies, or corporations, establishing a private practice is also a common career path. Most lawyers begin their careers in employment roles, but transitioning to private practice is a frequent choice after gaining experience.
- Lawyer — is there a shortage in Europe?
- No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 10 of the 14 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus and 6 more. 4 countries reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Lawyer — what does it pay in the United States?
- $151,160 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $91,690 to $207,860. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.
- Lawyer — is it a regulated profession?
- It is listed as a regulated profession in 31 European countries: Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Estonia and 27 more. The lowest qualification level required among them is EQF 6. Where a profession is regulated, a qualification earned elsewhere has to be formally recognised before you can practise. Source: EU Regulated Professions Database.