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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Occupational Requirements Survey > Publications > Factsheets

Legal occupations

This occupational group includes lawyers, judicial law clerks, judges, arbitrators, mediators, conciliators, paralegals, legal assistants, court reporters, title examiners, abstractors, and searchers.

Cognitive and mental requirements

The qualifications that workers need to use judgment, make decisions, interact with others, and adapt to changes in jobs.

In 2024, more than basic people skills were required for greater than 95 percent of legal workers, and basic people skills were required for less than 5 percent.

Table 1. Percentage of legal workers with cognitive and mental requirements, 2024
Requirement	Yes	No
Adaptability: Work schedule variability	30.7	69.3
Pace: Pause control	94.9	5.1
Working around crowds	<0.5	>99.5
Telework	63.1	36.9
Work review: Supervising others	9.9	90.1
Work review: Presence of supervisor	66.3	33.7
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey

Education, training, and experience requirements

The minimum level of formal education required, credentials necessary, on-the-job training, and prior work experience necessary for average performance in jobs.

In 2024, credentials were required for 75.0 percent of legal workers. Prior work experience was required for 65.1 percent and on-the-job training was required for 81.7 percent.

A professional degree was required for 47.0 percent of legal workers.

Environmental conditions

The various tangible or concrete hazards or difficulties that are in the vicinity of where jobs’ critical tasks are performed.

In 2024, a quiet noise exposure was present for 53.4 percent of legal workers. Another 46.6 percent were exposed to moderate noise, less than 0.5 percent were exposed to loud noise, and less than 0.5 percent to very loud noise. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was used by less than 0.5 percent of workers to mitigate noise exposure, and was not used by greater than 99.5 percent.

Physical demands

Refer to the physical activities required to perform tasks in jobs. The presence and, in some cases, duration of these activities are published.

In 2024, reaching at or below the shoulder was required for 25.0 percent of legal workers and was not required for 75.0 percent. For 15.8 percent of workers, reaching at or below the shoulder was seldom performed, for 9.2 percent reaching at or below the shoulder occurred occasionally, less than 0.5 percent frequently, and for less than 0.5 percent reaching at or below the shoulder occurred constantly.

Performing work in low postures was required for 6.5 percent of legal workers and was not required for 93.5 percent.

The choice to sit or stand when performing critical tasks was available to 91.4 percent of legal workers. On average, workers spent 89.6 percent of the workday sitting and 10.4 percent of the workday standing.

Table 2. Percentage of legal workers with physical demands, 2024
Requirement	Yes	No
Choice of sitting or standing	91.4	8.6
Driving	30.4	69.6
Climbing structure-related ramps or stairs	6.7	93.3
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey