Career field
Legal Jobs in the USA
Legal jobs include attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants and a wide range of support and compliance roles. Attorneys need a law degree and a license from the state bar where they practice, and they work in law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies, public defender and prosecutor offices, and nonprofits. Paralegals and legal assistants research, draft documents, manage case files and support trials; many hold a paralegal certificate or associate degree, and some states have specific rules for using the title. Related careers include compliance analysts, contract managers, e-discovery specialists, court clerks, legal operations and privacy professionals, several of which welcome people without a law degree. Attention to detail, careful writing and confidentiality are essential across the field. Government legal roles are posted on USAJOBS and state and county job sites, and court systems publish their own openings. Read each posting for bar admission, certification and on-site requirements.
Updated
Latest legal job openings
Common legal job titles
Select a title to search current openings.
Skills employers ask for
Skills that appear often in postings for this field. Check each posting for its exact requirements.
- Legal research (Westlaw, Lexis)
- Drafting and proofreading
- Case and document management
- E-discovery tools
- Court filing procedures
- Contract review
- Regulatory compliance
- Confidentiality
- Deadline management
- Clear written analysis
Legal pay: how to check what a job pays
Legal pay varies enormously between large firms, small practices, government and nonprofits. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers lawyers and paralegals and legal assistants; government postings state the pay grade.
We do not publish salary averages of our own. Read the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and our salary negotiation guide.
Legal jobs by city
Explore major US job markets, or search remote openings.
Watch out for job scams
Real employers never charge you to apply. Walk away if you see any of these:
- You are asked to pay for training, equipment, a background check or an application fee.
- They send a check and ask you to buy equipment from their vendor or send part of it back.
- The 'job' is receiving money into your account, or packages at home, and forwarding them.
- You get an offer without a real phone or video interview, often after a chat-only exchange.
Legal jobs: frequently asked questions
Do paralegals need a certification?
Most states do not require a license, but many employers prefer a paralegal certificate or degree. Voluntary certifications from organizations such as NALA and NFPA can help. A few states regulate who may use the title.
Can I work in law without a law degree?
Yes. Paralegal, legal assistant, compliance, contract management, e-discovery, legal operations and court clerk roles do not require a law degree.
Where are government legal jobs posted?
Federal legal jobs are on USAJOBS. State, county and city governments and court systems post on their own career sites and state job banks, which CareerOneStop links to.
Can AltFTool give legal advice about my job or visa?
No. This section offers general information only. For advice about your situation, contact a licensed attorney or your state bar's lawyer referral service.
Job search guides
Plain-English guides for job seekers in the US.
- Spot job scamsLearn the warning signs of fake job offers in the US: fake check and equipment scams, pay-to-train schemes, reshipping and task scams, and how to report them to the FTC and IC3.
- US resume guideA practical guide to the American resume: one or two pages, no photo, the sections recruiters expect, how applicant tracking systems read it, and how to tailor it to each job.
- Interview preparationPrepare for phone, video and in-person interviews in the US: research the employer, answer common and behavioral questions with the STAR method, ask good questions and follow up.
- Salary negotiationHow to research fair pay in the US, answer salary expectation questions, compare total compensation and negotiate a job offer politely, with sample wording.
Free career tools
Browser-based AltFTool tools for resumes, interviews, pay and scam checks. No sign-up.
- Resume MakerBuild a clean, ATS-friendly resume in your browser and export it.
- Cover LetterDraft a cover letter that matches the job you are applying for.
- Interview Question finderPractice common interview questions for your role.
- Career Prompt BuilderBuild AI prompts for resumes, cover letters, interview prep and salary negotiation.
- Job Offer Comparison ToolCompare job offers side by side, including pay and benefits.
- Hourly to Salary CalculatorConvert an hourly wage into weekly, monthly and yearly pay.
- VisaScout: compare visa providersCompare visa service providers, prices and processing times.
- AltFTool Backlinks directoryOur directory of places to list and promote a site or portfolio.