Also called: Wills and Trusts Lawyer, Probate Attorney
Helps people write wills and trusts so their money and property pass to the right people when they die.
Estate lawyers sit down with families to plan for the future: who inherits the house, who cares for the kids, how to reduce taxes. They draft wills and trusts, then help families settle estates after a death. It is calm, detail-heavy work with very predictable hours.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 7 years after high school. Bachelor's in any subject, then a 3-year Juris Doctor (JD) and passing the state bar exam.
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Accounting, Finance, Economics, Political Science, English.
Growing about average (about 4% over 10 years). BLS projection for all lawyers (2024-34).
Medium risk for 10 years. AI and online tools draft simple wills cheaply; complex trusts, tax planning and sensitive family talks keep skilled lawyers busy.
Classes: Personal finance, AP English Language, Accounting, Psychology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 23-1011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.