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Lawyers in Tennessee

Lawyers in Tennessee

Thinking about a career as a Lawyers in Tennessee? Here’s what you need to know. 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 Tennessee?

For lawyers working in Tennessee, the typical annual salary is $130,570 per year (or about $62.77/hour).

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $66,060 $31.76
25th percentile $94,190 $45.29
Median (50th) $130,570 $62.77
75th percentile $187,400 $90.10
90th percentile n/a n/a
Salary ranges for Lawyers in Tennessee

The job concentration index in Tennessee relative to the national average — is 0.56, suggesting fewer lawyers per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, lawyers earn a median of $73,181 per year ($35.18/hour), higher than the Tennessee median.

Lawyers earnings in Tennessee vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 151,396 lawyers across the United States. In Tennessee alone, approximately 8,830 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 7,430 lawyers.

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

Top Tennessee Metros for Lawyers

The metro areas below employ the most lawyers in Tennessee.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN 4,100 $143,420
Memphis, TN-MS-AR 1,740 $121,510
Knoxville, TN 1,060 $121,020
Chattanooga, TN-GA 730 $115,290
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA 290 $101,310
Jackson, TN 160 $120,950
Clarksville, TN-KY 120 $129,050
Johnson City, TN 110 $117,390
Cleveland, TN 60 $117,390
Morristown, TN 60 $90,190

Top States for Lawyers Employment

These states have the highest employment of 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

Where lawyers earn the most: 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

Top 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

Key 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

Top abilities 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

Common tasks include:

  • 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

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Google Analytics In-demand technologies: Microsoft Office software

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Programs that train for this career include:

  • Law
  • Legal Research

Careers similar 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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