Lawyer salary in the US
Most lawyer ads in the United States pay $90,000 – $150,000 a year before tax, and $180,000 – $250,000+ for senior associates (large firms pay the most). Pay varies a lot by state and city, so compare the full package: health insurance, 401(k) match, paid time off and bonus can add 20–30% on top of base pay.
What employers ask for
Most lawyer job ads in the US ask for a JD and admission to the state bar; foreign lawyers usually need an LLM and a bar exam in states such as New York or California. The sectors hiring most are law firms, in-house legal teams and government, and many openings are in New York, Washington DC, California and Texas.
Visa sponsorship and work authorisation
Most US roles require existing work authorisation. Some employers sponsor an H-1B visa, and the ad usually says so: search the description for "sponsorship". See our visa sponsorship jobs for employers that hire from abroad.
Before you apply
US recruiters expect a one- or two-page résumé with no photo, date of birth or marital status, and most screen with an ATS first. Paste the ad into our free CV checker to see which keywords you're missing and whether your layout will read correctly. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
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