15 Types of Lawyers: Roles, Duties and Earning Potential

Updated April 18, 2024

Title: Types of Lawyers
The image is split into four equal quadrants, the upper left shows a woman carrying a purse and laptop with the text "An associate attorney is an entry-level role." The upper right shows a woman shaking hands with two other people in front of her and the text "Family lawyers deal with issues like divorces and child custody battles." The bottom left shows a man working at a laptop, with the text "Corporate lawyers advise and represent executives." The bottom right shows a woman presenting a graph and the text reads, "Employment lawyers are hired to represent companies or employees."

Preparing for a future as a lawyer requires a full understanding of legal terminology and law-related careers. By gaining a strong understanding of what careers the legal field offers, you can find the career path that best suits your qualifications.In this article, we define and differentiate between the different types of lawyers and provide you with 15 profiles of careers in law you can pursue with average salary and responsibilities information for each.

What are the different types of lawyers?

A lawyer is someone working within the legal system that can assist in and provide advice on the law to clients on legal proceedings and legal issues. Paralegals act as assistants to lawyers or attorneys and serve as entry-level opportunities to learn more about the legal field. The titles of lawyer, attorney and counsel are sometimes used interchangeably, but there are a few differences between these three types of lawyers.

Lawyers are employed in law firms or private practices and usually advise clients about their legal issues and how to move forward.
Attorneys consult with clients like lawyers do, but are much more likely to go beyond the initial consultation and represent the client in courtroom proceedings.
Counsels are lawyers who are employed by a company or organization. Not being employed at a law firm, counsels act solely on behalf of that company or organization.

These three lawyer titles present unique work opportunities and distinct salary differences to those who hold them.Related: Learn About Being a Lawyer

See your instant resume report on Indeed

Get recommendations for your resume in minutes

15 types of lawyer Jobs

The following list will review different types of lawyers and other law-related careers, their responsibilities and salary expectations.

1. Associate attorney

National average salary: $88,832 per yearPrimary duties: An associate attorney is an entry-level role, usually employed at law firms. They assist in selecting juries, represent clients in court, help clients negotiate contracts or settle corporate disputes. Associate Attorneys can be employed in different types of law, including corporate, real estate, family, and copyright cases.

2. Associate general counsel

National average salary: $138,357 per yearPrimary duties: An associate general counsel is a type of lawyer who represents an individual client or organization in court, advises them on potential legal actions that could result from malpractice and works with a team, usually through a law firm, to build a strong case that will be used to represent a client in the courtroom.

3. Bankruptcy paralegal

National average salary: $55,777 per yearPrimary duties: Bankruptcy paralegals assist bankruptcy lawyers in providing clients with advice on their financial situation, if they are eligible to file for bankruptcy, what type of bankruptcy would be the most helpful for them, and provide information on how to file for bankruptcy.

4. Contracts lawyer

National average salary: $111,921 per yearPrimary duties: A contracts lawyer helps individual clients or businesses with problems relating to contracts. They provide advice from a legal standpoint on whether or not to agree to and sign a contract, or can help a client figure out how to combat a contract that they have already signed.

5. Corporate lawyer

National average salary: $127,489 per yearPrimary duties: A corporate lawyer works for a company, advising executives against business decisions that could lead to legal action and representing the company in when legal action is taken against them. They are also responsible for using their expertise to create and edit corporate contracts to ensure they are not breaking any laws.

6. Corporate attorney

National average salary: $148,196 per yearPrimary duties: A corporate attorney works on behalf of a company, advising executives on the best practices to implement within the company to prevent legal trouble. They might help create documents, file reports, and read through employee handbooks to make sure there are clear guidelines in place. A corporate attorney can also represent a company in the courtroom.

7. Employment lawyer

National average salary: $120,956 per yearPrimary duties: An employment lawyer can be hired to help a company that's having trouble with an employee or to help an employee who is having trouble with their company. They are usually called upon to help settle disputes in employee contracts or defend a client who accuses their company of maltreatment.

8. Family lawyer

National average salary: $93,821 per yearPrimary duties: A family lawyer can be employed to help clients in several family-related matters. They are involved in defending a client in divorce proceedings, child custody battles or child support claims.

9. General practice lawyer

National average salary:$93,223 per yearPrimary duties: A general practice lawyer does not have a particular area of expertise and instead consults with, and defends clients on a variety of legal issues and proceedings. This type of lawyer can have specialized interests but can handle other projects as well.

10. Immigration lawyer

National average salary: $77,752 per yearPrimary duties: Immigration lawyers help clients who are having trouble obtaining green cards, visas or citizenship documentation. They can also be employed when there are issues with a client's current documentation or in a situation where an individual is seeking asylum from another country.

11. Intellectual property lawyer

National average salary: $97,599 per yearPrimary duties: An intellectual property lawyer is hired to help an individual client or company on issues related to intellectual property rights and trademarks. They can consult with a client who believes someone has used their intellectual property without obtaining proper copyrights, or they can be hired to help someone who wants to use the intellectual property or trademark belonging to a company.

12. Litigation attorney

National average salary: $116,954 per yearPrimary duties: A litigation attorney or lawyer is hired to help in civil lawsuits, either on the side of the defendant or the plaintiff party. Their job is to guide their client through pre-, peri- and post-trial events, defending their case, setting plea deals or arranging appeals.

13. Litigation paralegal

National average salary: $62,105 per yearPrimary duties: A litigation paralegal is responsible for helping trial attorneys prepare for courtroom proceedings. They draft documents, complete administrative tasks, interview witnesses and conduct additional research ahead of the trial.

14. Personal injury lawyer

National average salary: $106,172 per yearPrimary duties: A personal injury lawyer is responsible for helping clients who have sustained injuries, whether it be through a car accident or an injury acquired on a company's property. They plead their case to help a client get compensation for their injury.

15. Trademark paralegal

National average salary: $85,638 per yearPrimary duties: A trademark paralegal works for a trademark attorney and is responsible for helping clients file claims for names and logos. They are responsible for assisting trademark attorneys in the creation of courtroom cases against an individual or company who stole a trademark from their client.For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, click on the link(s) provided.

Legal