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Lawyer

Also called advocate, attorney, barrister

Lawyers provide legal advice to clients and act on their behalf in legal proceedings and in compliance with the law. They research for, interpret and study cases to represent their clients in a variety of settings such as courts and administrative boards. They create arguments on behalf of their clients for lawsuits in different contexts with the aim of finding a legal remedy.

Will there be jobs?Average prospects33 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Legal, social and cultural professionalsWhat does it pay?Above averageFrom about €1,800 (Bulgaria) to €8,800 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Legal, social and cultural professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually a degree9 in 10 have a degree.Legal, social and cultural professionalsWill AI change it?LittleLevel 2 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Lawyers · ILO

What you'd do

Lawyers · ILO
  • Giving clients legal advice on a wide variety of subjects and undertaking legal business on clients‚Äô behalf
  • Researching legal principles, statutes and previous court decisions related to specific cases
  • Gathering evidence to formulate a defence or to initiate legal actions, by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case
  • Evaluating findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases
  • Pleading clients‚Äô cases before courts of law, tribunals and administrative boards or instructing barristers to plead in higher courts of justice
  • Accepting briefs and pleading in the higher court
  • Acting as prosecutor on behalf of the Government
  • Negotiating settlements in matters which involve legal disputes
  • Drafting legislation and preparing government regulations based on existing laws
  • Drawing up legal documents such as contracts, real estate transactions and wills and preparing statements of legal opinions
Present legal argumentsInterpret lawCompile legal documentsAnalyse legal evidencePresent arguments persuasively+ 6 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • Sitting most of the day
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Lawyers"

Will there be jobs?

Average prospects

A typical number of jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as legal, social and cultural professionals in the EU
5.41m6.54m7.02m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
354,000 new jobs 1,872,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Legal, social and cultural professionals33
All jobs29
Right now
3 of 27 countries report a shortage of lawyers, 10 a surplus.
Lawyers · EURES

What does it pay?

Above average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,800 a month (Bulgaria) to €8,800 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually a degree

A degree in law is the usual route.

Highest qualification of legal, social and cultural professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 87%Vocational 6%General secondary 5%Basic schooling 2%
Field that teaches it
Law
Vocational route, EU
Fewer than 1 in 10 trainees in this field
Business and law graduates in a matching job
66% in the EU

1,314 institutions in the EU offer business and law bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Little

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.36 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 10 tasks
Evaluating findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases0.56
Drawing up legal documents such as contracts, real estate transactions and wills and preparing statements of legal opinions0.46
Researching legal principles, statutes and previous court decisions related to specific cases0.40
Drafting legislation and preparing government regulations based on existing laws0.36
Negotiating settlements in matters which involve legal disputes0.34
Gathering evidence to formulate a defence or to initiate legal actions, by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case0.32
Accepting briefs and pleading in the higher court0.32
Giving clients legal advice on a wide variety of subjects and undertaking legal business on clients’ behalf0.32
Pleading clients’ cases before courts of law, tribunals and administrative boards or instructing barristers to plead in higher courts of justice0.30
Acting as prosecutor on behalf of the Government0.25

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for lawyers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).