Legal
An attorney advises clients, represents them in disputes and transactions, and interprets the law as it applies to specific business or personal situations. Employers rely on attorneys to manage legal risk, protect contractual rights and handle matters that require a licensed lawyer.
Median pay
$159,670a year
Lawyers, U.S. BLS, May 2025
The role
Companies hire attorneys when legal questions, contracts or disputes become frequent or risky enough that outside counsel alone no longer works.
Typical responsibilities
Core skills
Tools and systems
Related titles
Typical background
J.D., active bar admission in the relevant state, and experience in the practice area the role covers.
At a glance
The essentials for planning the hire: level, background, how you can hire and what the role typically pays.
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FAQ
Straight answers to the questions employers and candidates ask about this role.
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An attorney advises clients, represents them in disputes and transactions, and interprets the law as it applies to specific business or personal situations. Employers rely on attorneys to manage legal risk, protect contractual rights and handle matters that require a licensed lawyer. Typical responsibilities include: advise clients on legal rights, obligations and risk exposure; draft and negotiate contracts, pleadings and legal opinions; represent clients in negotiations, hearings and court proceedings.
Look for legal analysis, negotiation, contract drafting, legal writing, advocacy and risk assessment. Experience with Westlaw, LexisNexis, Clio, NetDocuments and Microsoft Word is common in this role.
Yes. Employers hire an attorney on contract for projects, peak periods and cover, and contract-to-hire is a good way to confirm fit before a permanent offer. For long-term needs, most choose full-time placement.
Litigators handle disputes, filings and courtroom work. Transactional attorneys draft and negotiate deals, contracts and corporate documents. If your pressing need is a lawsuit, hire a litigator; if it is agreements or financing, hire transactional. Some attorneys have experience in both.
Often yes for defined projects such as a contract review, a diligence workstream or a single case phase. For long-running matters, plan for knowledge transfer and clear supervision so work continues smoothly if the contract attorney leaves at the end of the term.
Related roles
Every role in the practice is recruited by the same specialist team.
