Also called: General Counsel, Corporate Counsel, Chief Legal Officer
A lawyer employed directly by one company, like Nike or a hospital, handling all its legal needs.
In-house lawyers are part of the business team. One day they review a contract with a supplier, the next they advise the marketing team on whether an ad is legal, and the next they manage outside law firms in a lawsuit. The top job, General Counsel, sits with the CEO in big decisions.
General Counsels at large companies often earn $500k+ with stock.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 10 years after high school. JD and bar license, usually plus several years at a law firm first.
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Business, Economics, Political Science, Finance, Computer Science.
Growing about average (about 4% over 10 years). BLS projection for all lawyers (2024-34).
Medium risk for 10 years. AI reviews routine contracts and NDAs in minutes, shrinking legal teams; judgment calls on business risk stay with the lawyer.
Classes: Economics, AP English Language, Business CTE class, Speech and debate.
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.