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Lawyers in District of Columbia

Lawyers in District of Columbia

Want to work as a Lawyers in District of Columbia? Here’s what the data says. 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.

What do Lawyers Make in District of Columbia?

The lawyers working in District of Columbia, the median annual wage is $191,880 per year (or roughly $92.25/hour).

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $128,940 $61.99
25th percentile $167,270 $80.42
Median (50th) $191,880 $92.25
75th percentile n/a n/a
90th percentile n/a n/a
Salary ranges for Lawyers in District of Columbia

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in District of Columbia compared to the national average — is 9.73, indicating that lawyers are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, lawyers earn a median of $73,181 per year ($35.18/hour), above the District of Columbia median.

Lawyers earnings in District of Columbia vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 151,396 lawyers nationwide. In District of Columbia alone, around 33,430 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 7,430 lawyers.

Lawyers in District of Columbia vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Lawyers

Top District of Columbia Metros for Lawyers

The metro areas below employ the most lawyers in District of Columbia.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 48,170 $191,880

Top States for Lawyers Employment

View the states that employ the most lawyers work.

State Number Employed
California 92,580
New York 91,440
Florida 59,010
Texas 54,680
Illinois 33,430
District of Columbia 33,430
Pennsylvania 26,340
New Jersey 23,360
Georgia 23,010
Massachusetts 22,020
Ohio 19,690
Virginia 18,420
North Carolina 17,380
Colorado 17,160
Maryland 16,420
Michigan 16,060
Washington 13,140
Minnesota 12,880
Arizona 12,130
Missouri 11,950

Highest-Paying States for Lawyers

The highest-paying states for lawyers.

State Annual Median Salary
California $197,790
District of Columbia $191,880
Massachusetts $179,050
New York $177,210
Delaware $172,710
Colorado $167,970
Connecticut $159,240
New Jersey $158,470
Virginia $157,980
Illinois $157,320

Skills

Key lawyers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Speaking  4.6 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  4.5 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  4.5 / 5
0
5
Reading Comprehension  4.5 / 5
0
5
Writing  4.2 / 5
0
5
Complex Problem Solving  4.1 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Law and Government  5.0 / 5
0
5
English Language  4.7 / 5
0
5
Customer and Personal Service  4.0 / 5
0
5
Administrative  3.2 / 5
0
5
Computers and Electronics  3.1 / 5
0
5
Communications and Media  3.0 / 5
0
5

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for lawyers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Oral Expression  4.9 / 5
0
5
Written Comprehension  4.6 / 5
0
5
Oral Comprehension  4.6 / 5
0
5
Written Expression  4.5 / 5
0
5
Speech Clarity  4.4 / 5
0
5
Deductive Reasoning  4.1 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, lawyers typically:

  • Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
  • Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
  • 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.
  • Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
  • Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
  • Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
  • Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.
  • Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
  • Negotiate settlements of civil disputes.
  • Supervise legal assistants.
  • Negotiate contractual agreements.

Work Activities

  • Getting Information
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  • Processing Information

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Google Analytics In-demand technologies: Microsoft Office software

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

  • Law
  • Legal Research

Related occupations to lawyers include:

Also Known As

Admiralty Lawyer, Agency Legal Counsel, Attorney, Attorney General, Attorney at Law, Barrister, Business Lawyer, Chief Counsel, City Attorney, City Solicitor, Civil Lawyer, Civil Litigation Attorney, Civil Rights Attorney, Claim Attorney, Commonwealth Attorney.

References

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