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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Lawyers

Part of Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security, in the Legal Services pathway.

Job zone 5: extensive preparationO*NET 23-1011.00

What the work is

Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.

On a typical day

  • Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
  • Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
  • Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
  • Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
  • Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
  • Represent clients in court or before government agencies.

What it pays

$137,690
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $85,140
Experienced workers reach $327,280
  1. $85k10th
  2. $107k25th
  3. $138kMedian
  4. $204k75th
  5. $327k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $85,140, 25th $106,560, Median $137,690, 75th $204,440, 90th $327,280

About 4,020 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+16.0%

employment change in the Alamo region, 4,721 to 5,476 jobs · U.S. +4%

237

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 31,500

4,721

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 864,800

Typical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Speaking4.9
  2. Active Listening5.0
  3. Critical Thinking5.0
  4. Reading Comprehension4.9
  5. Writing4.9
  6. Judgment and Decision Making4.4
  7. Complex Problem Solving4.3
  8. Persuasion5.0

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. Doctoral or professional100%

Job zone 5, extensive preparation: A graduate or professional degree, usually after a bachelor's.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • San Antonio
  1. Paralegal Studies

    Degree · Public Service

  2. Pre-Law

    Transfer pre-major · Public Service

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