Industry Insights

50+ Lawyer Statistics to Guide Law Firms in 2025

Author

Kier Anthony

Date

May 1, 2025

Industries around the world are constantly evolving, and the legal industry is no exception. It's being shaped by technological innovation, changing demographics, and shifting client expectations. Keeping up with these changes can be challenging.

As we move through 2025, understanding the data behind these transformations is important for legal professionals looking to make informed decisions about their practice.

Whether you're considering law school, looking to hire an attorney, or running a law firm, these statistics will give you powerful insights on the current state of the legal industry and where it's headed.

From legal demographics to earnings, AI adoption, and remote work trends, we've compiled verified statistics from authoritative legal sources to give you the most up-to-date snapshot of the legal profession today.

Key Takeaways

New York has the highest recorded number of lawyers in the U.S. with 187,656 lawyers.
Women make up 41.24% of all lawyers.
The average annual salary for a lawyer is $176,470.
87% of law firms provide remote work options for their lawyers.
30.2% of law firms have adopted AI-based technology tools.
On average, small to medium-sized firms work 42-54 hours per week.

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1.3 million active lawyers practice in the United States

(Source: American Bar Association)

According to the ABA National Lawyer Population Survey, there were exactly 1,322,649 active lawyers in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2024. This represents a steady increase from previous years, highlighting the sustained growth of the legal profession despite economic fluctuations.

There are 463,600 law firms in the United States

(Source: Statista)

As of April 11, 2025, according to Statista's latest survey report, there were approximately 463,600 law firms in the United States in 2024. The number of law firms has grown by an average of 1.8% annually over the past five years.

New York leads the U.S. with 187,656 lawyers

(Source: American Bar Association)

New York continues to have the highest recorded number of lawyers in the country, with 187,656 active attorneys. California follows closely with approximately 175,883 lawyers.

One-fourth of all lawyers in U.S. are based in New York and California

(Source: American Bar Association)

New York and California together account for approximately 25% of all licensed lawyers in the U.S., making them the top states for legal professionals. This concentration reflects the high demand for legal services in major economic, financial, and political hubs.

North Dakota has the fewest lawyers in the U.S. with 1,663 lawyers.

(Source: American Bar Association)

Among all states, North Dakota has the smallest number of practicing lawyers, showing a lower demand for legal services compared to larger or more populated states.

5% growth projected for lawyer employment from 2023 to 2033

(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of lawyers is projected to grow 5% from 2023 to 2033, with the same rate of average growth for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in about 35,600 new jobs each year, over the decade.

Demand for Legal Services was Increased by 3.3%

(Source: Thomson Reuters)

The demand for legal services has increased by 3.3% compared to 2023, driven by litigation, bankruptcy, and labor & employment practices. This trend seemed to come at the area of demand for transactional work.

21% Increased in law school applications for 2025

(Source: National Jurist)

Law school applications are up 21% from last year. Several factors contribute to this increase, including strong job numbers reported by the National Association for Law Placement over the past five years and record-high employment rates for new law graduates.

Larger and better-resourced law firms have higher win rates

(Source: Cambridge University)

A study published by Cambridge University conducted in Singapore revealed that larger, well-resourced law firms generally achieve higher success rates in court. This trend is consistent with global findings that law firms with more resources, such as experienced staff and extensive support, are more likely to secure favorable outcomes.

62% of law firm leaders report they’re partner underperforming

(Source: Legal Futures)

Nearly 62% of law firm leaders report that their managing partners are underperforming, negatively affecting the firm's profitability.

Large firms work an average of 66 hours per week

(Source: Indeed)

According to Indeed’s report on lawyer working hours, lawyers at large firms clock in an average of 66 hours per week. This heavy workload is often driven by high client demands, billable hour targets, and the competitive nature. The long hours reflect the fast-paced environment and expectations typical of big law culture.

Lawyer Demographics Statistics

41.24% of all lawyers are women

(Source: ABA Profile of the Legal Profession)

As of 2024, women make up 41.24% of all lawyers, marking significant progress over the past decade. While male attorneys still outnumber female attorneys (58.43% to 41.24%), the gap is steadily narrowing. Recently, U.S. law schools consistently award more Juris Doctor degrees to women than men, and many older, male-dominated generations are now retiring.

28% of law firm partners are women

(Source: National Association of Law Placement)

Despite increasing representation in the legal profession overall, women make up only 23% of law firm partners, highlighting continued challenges in advancement to leadership positions.

Data from ABA Profile of the Legal Profession

78% of lawyers are white

(Source: ABA Profile of the Legal Profession)

White lawyers still make up the majority in the U.S. at 78%, but their share has declined by 10% from 88% in 2014, showing an increase in diversity within the legal profession.

23% of law firm partners were lawyers of color

(Source: ABA Profile of the Legal Profession)

Although the increase has been slow, it's steady. When you look at it year by year, the trend is hard to notice. But over the span of a decade, the growth becomes much clearer. In 2014, only around 12% of law firm partners were people of color. By 2024, that number had risen to 23%, effectively nearly doubling since 2014.

7% of law firm partners of color are Asian

(Source: ABA Profile of the Legal Profession)

In 2024, Asian lawyers represented the largest share of law firm partners of color at 7%, more than double the 2% recorded in 2014.

6% of law firm partners of color are Hispanic

(Source: ABA Profile of the Legal Profession)

Hispanic lawyers accounted for 6% of law firm partners of color in 2024, making them the second-largest racial or ethnic group represented in law firm leadership.

5% of law firm partners of color are Black

(Source: ABA Profile of the Legal Profession)

Black lawyers made up 5% of partners of color in U.S. law firms in 2024. This figure has remained unchanged over the past decade, which was also 5% in 2014.

4% of law firm partners of color are Multiracial

(Source: ABA Profile of the Legal Profession)

In 2024, 4% of law firm partners of color identified as multiracial, more than double the 1% reported in 2016.

1% of law firm partners of color are Native American and Native Hawaiian

(Source: ABA Profile of the Legal Profession)

Native American and Native Hawaiian lawyers comprised just 1% of law firm partners of color in 2024, highlighting a gap in representation within the legal industry.

46 is the median age of practicing attorneys

(Source: ABA Profile of the Legal Profession)

In 2023, the median age for lawyers was 46 years old, which means half were younger and half were older. In contrast, the median age of all U.S. workers was 42 years old which is nearly four years younger.

2% of lawyers and 2.4% of associates have disabilities

(Source: National Association of Law Placement)

The percentage of lawyers with disabilities remains small at 2%. However, the percentage of associates with disabilities is slightly higher at 2.4%. While still a small figure for associates, this represents a 1.0% increase over the last three years, effectively doubling the previous percentage.

4.6% of lawyers identify as LGBTQ+

(Source: National Association of Law Placement)

The survey found that 4,774 lawyers identified as LGBTQ across 785 law offices in the United States, making up 4.6% of the 104,485 lawyers at those firms. In comparison, a decade ago in 2013, only 2.2% of lawyers at these firms identified as LGBTQ, showing a doubling of this percentage over the past ten years.

Lawyer Earnings Statistics

$176,470 is the average lawyer annual salary

(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, lawyer wages increased by 19.2% between 2021 and 2023, marking the largest two-year jump. As of May 2023, the average annual salary for a lawyer is $176,470, not including profits for law firm partners and shareholders.

California has the highest average lawyer salary at $268,570

(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

In 2023, three of the top 10 metro areas with the highest average lawyer wages were in California: San Jose, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The wage disparity between some regions is striking.

For instance, the average lawyer salary in the highest-paying area, San Jose, California, at $268,570, is four times higher than in the lowest-paying area, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, where it’s $62,380.

Attorney rank 58th among highest-paid professions

(Source: Indeed Career Guide)

Attorneys rank 58th among all professions in terms of national average salary, behind medical specialists, senior executives, and certain engineering specialties, but ahead of most other professional occupations.

$162 to $392 is the average hourly rate for attorneys

(Source: Statista)

According to Statista, the reported hourly rates of attorneys in the U.S. show that attorneys at mid-sized to large firms typically charge between $162 and $392 per hour. Washington, D.C. holds the highest average hourly rate among all states and regions.

Bankruptcy practice area has the highest hourly rate

(Source: Clio’s Legal Trends Report)

According to the Clio Legal Trends Report, bankruptcy law has the highest hourly rate among practice areas, while juvenile law charges the lowest hourly rate.

Patent attorney has the highest average annual salary at $171,346

(Source: Indeed)

There are many factors that influence how much lawyers charge, including their location, years of experience, and the complexity of the case. According to Indeed, the top highest-paying lawyer roles are patent attorneys earning $171,346 per year.

Corporate attorneys are the second highest paid with an annual salary of $148,196

(Source: Indeed)

According to Indeed, corporate attorneys earn an average annual salary of $148,196, making them the second highest-paid group of legal professionals.

Real estate attorneys are the third highest paid with an annual salary of $135,989

(Source: Indeed)

According to Indeed, real estate attorneys earn an average annual salary of $135,989, ranking them third among the highest-paid legal professionals.

Impact of AI in Law Firms Statistics

30.2% of law firms are using AI-based technology tools

(Source: American Bar Association’s AI TechReport)

According to the ABA’s 2024 Artificial Intelligence TechReport, 30.2% of attorneys reported that their offices are now using AI-based technology tools.

Among these, 47.8% of the highest adopters are firms with 500 or more lawyers, followed by 29.5% from firms with 10–49 lawyers. Only 17.7% of solo practitioners reported using AI tools in their practice.

While it may seem surprising, the data shows that larger law firms are more likely to rely on AI compared to smaller firms or solo practitioners.

ChatGPT is the leading AI-based research tools law firms use

(Source: American Bar Association’s AI TechReport)

The top three AI-based research tools law firms are using are ChatGPT, leading at 52.1%, followed by Thomson Reuters CoCounsel at 26%, and Lexis+ AI at 24.3%.

ChatGPT is the most popular choice across all firm sizes, while the use of CoCounsel and Lexis+ AI varies depending on firm size.

Top 3 AI platform law firms use

58% of generative AI use in legal industry was for brainstorming

(Source: MyCase’s Legal Industry Trends)

In 2024, the top use of generative AI in the legal industry was for brainstorming tasks, with 58% of users leveraging it to develop ideas, outline arguments, and explore legal strategies.

55% of generative AI use in legal industry was for drafting correspondence

(Source: MyCase’s Legal Industry Trends)

In 2024, over half of legal professionals at 55%, used generative AI to help write emails, letters, and other client communications.

46% of generative AI use in legal industry was for general research

(Source: MyCase’s Legal Industry Trends)

In 2024, nearly half (46%) of AI usage in the legal field supported general research, such as quickly gathering case law, legal definitions, and background information to assist attorneys in their daily work.

77% of Legal Professionals Say Generative AI Increased Productivity

(Source: MyCase’s Legal Industry Trends)

In 2024, according to the MyCase Legal Industry Trends report, 77% of legal professionals using generative AI tools reported increased productivity.

66.67% of legal departments are Increasing their generative AI investment

(Source: Deloitte)

According to Deloitte, over two-thirds (66.67%) of legal departments plan to increase their investment in Generative AI as we move into 2025. This growth is fueled by strong support and rapid advancements in GenAI technology. As legal teams expand their use of AI, the industry is on track for major shifts in how legal work is performed and delivered

54.4% of attorneys say saving time and increasing efficiency is AI’s biggest benefit

(Source: American Bar Association’s AI TechReport)

When asked to identify the most important benefit AI-based technology tools could offer, 54.4% of attorneys cited saving time and increasing efficiency as their top choice, according to the ABA’s 2024 Artificial Intelligence TechReport.

Far behind in second and third place were document management and document review at 9.1% and reducing costs at 4.5%. Interestingly, 17.4% of respondents admitted they did not know enough about AI to answer the question.

74.7% of attorneys cite accuracy as their top concern with AI Tools

(Source: American Bar Association’s AI TechReport)

Although AI is now widely accepted and increasingly used across the legal industry, concerns about its risks and limitations remain, just as they do in other sectors adopting new technologies.

Among the major concerns raised about the implementation and use of AI tools are:

Accuracy (74.7%)
Reliability (56.3%)
Data privacy and security (47.2%)
Cost of implementation (22.1%)
Time required to learn new tools(21.3%)

The results show that while law firms recognize the potential of AI, concerns about its use still remain and continue to slow widespread adoption.

AI could save attorneys 12 hours per week within the next five years

(Source: Thomson Reuters Future of Professionals)

According to a survey conducted by Thomson Reuters, respondents predict that artificial intelligence (AI) could save them 12 hours per week within the next five years, or about four hours per week in the upcoming year.

This equates to 200 hours annually, which is the equivalent productivity gain of adding an extra colleague for every 10 team members on staff. For a U.S. lawyer, this time-saving could translate to an estimated $100,000 in additional billable hours annually, showing AI’s impact on law firm productivity and profitability.

55% of Firms use AI on Legal Research

(Source: LexisNexis)

AI is changing the way lawyers work by offering smart solutions in many important areas. As legal technology keeps improving, more law firms are using AI to make their work more efficient, gain valuable insights, and offer new services.

AI helps by automating tasks that were once time-consuming and uses data to predict possible case outcomes. According to a LexisNexis GenAI Report survey, the most common ways AI is used in law firms include:

Legal research (55%)
Summarizing documents (52%)
Drafting documents (39%)
Contract analytics (31%)
Conducting due diligence (28%)

These results show how AI is helping law firms work faster and reduce the amount of manual labor.

Lawyer Remote Work Statistics

44% of younger lawyers would leave their current jobs for remote work options

(Source: American Bar Association)

In 2022, the survey by the American Bar Association (ABA) found that 44% of younger lawyers with less than 10 years of experience would switch jobs for better remote work options. Similar surveys of law firm staff also show a strong preference for hybrid or remote work.

87% of law firms allows lawyers to work remotely

(Source: American Bar Association)

According to the American Bar Association, 87% of law firms now allow lawyers to work remotely. This reflects the legal industry’s growing flexibility and alignment with broader workplace trends. As remote work becomes more common, law firms can benefit from greater access to a global talent pool and improved work-life balance.

77% of solicitors globally prefer a hybrid working model

(Source: The Law Society Gazette)

A large percentage (77%) of solicitors worldwide prefer continuing with a hybrid working model in the future, as remote and in-office arrangements become an increasingly favored choice in the legal profession

25% of clients prefer virtual meetings over in-person meetings

(Source: Clio’s Legal Trends Report)

When it comes to remote work, law firms often face the question of how it will affect clients. According to Clio’s Legal Trends Report, 25% of clients prefer virtual meetings over in-person meetings, while the rest show no strong preference either way, indicating adaptability.

Over one-third of lawyers recognize these trends in client preferences and are adjusting their services to accommodate the convenience of remote communications. This shift not only aligns with client expectations but also empowers lawyers to work more flexibly from anywhere, at any time.

56% of women lawyers working remotely enhanced their work-life balance

(Source: American Bar Association)

According to the American Bar Association, 56% of women lawyers reported that remote work has helped them better manage both their careers and family responsibilities. Flexible work arrangements have become a key factor in supporting gender equity in the legal profession, offering more control over daily schedules.

Remote work helps law firms cut overhead costs

(Source: Thomson Reuters)

The transition to remote work has enabled law firms to lower expenses tied to physical office spaces. Many firms have embraced fully remote work models to reduce costs and attract legal talent, showing how flexibility can benefit both operations and recruitment.

Small and Solo Law Firm Statistics

77% of small law firms spending too much time on administrative tasks

(Source: FindLaw)

In 2023, the State of U.S.Small Law Firms Report showed that 77% of small law firms reported spending too much time on administrative tasks, leaving them with insufficient time to focus on practicing law. This highlights the ongoing challenge many firms face in balancing the operational demands of running a business with the core task of serving clients.

Small to medium-sized firms work an average of 42-54 hours per week

(Source: Indeed)

According to Indeed’s report on lawyer working hours, lawyers at small to medium-sized firms work an average of 42 to 54 hours per week. This extended workload reflects the demands of managing both legal work and business operations, including client communications, billing, and administrative tasks.

Solo Law Firms to Gain Larger Market Share by 2025

(Source: Find Law)

Solo law firms are projected to capture a larger portion of the legal market by 2025. This trend is backed by increasing demand for personalized legal services and advancements in technology that allow solo practitioners to compete effectively with larger firms.

45% of solo law firms with blogs on their website gained new clients

(Source: American Bar Association)

According to the American Bar Association's 2023 Tech Report, nearly half (45%) of solo law firms that maintain blogs on their websites report gaining new clients, either directly or through referrals from their blog content. This highlights the effectiveness of blogging as a tool for building credibility and attracting potential clients.

Solo law firms offering payment plans collect 70% more revenue

(Source: Law Rank)

Solo law firms that offer payment plans to clients generate over 70% more revenue compared to those that don’t, showing that flexible payment options help increase overall revenue for solo practitioners.

Final Note

As we continue through 2025, the legal industry has become more diverse, tech-driven, and flexible compared to just a decade ago. The statistics show both progress and ongoing challenges in various areas of legal practice.

Firms and practitioners who understand these trends and adapt—by embracing technology, diversity in leadership, flexible work options, and focusing on client-centered models—are already setting themselves up for long-term success.

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