💡 Why it matters: When people or companies have disputes over land, contracts, crime or rights, they need a trained advocate to speak for them in court and make sure the rules are followed fairly.
🌍 Around the world
- United States: Jobs for lawyers are projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦1.5M – ₦4M
- Mid-career
- ₦4M – ₦12M
- Senior
- ₦12M – ₦40M
≈ ₦333k – ₦1M a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Closest UK profile: Solicitor. Typical starter to experienced salary. National Careers Service, 2026
🇺🇸 United States
Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Closest Canadian category: Lawyer. Hourly wage low/median/high x 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2023-2024
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Advise clients on their legal problems
- Research laws and past court cases
- Write court documents and arguments
- Speak in court and question witnesses
- Negotiate settlements outside court
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Public speaking
- Critical thinking
- Writing
- Research
- Persuasion
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- After the LLB, attend the Nigerian Law School to qualify for the Bar (BL) and be called to the Nigerian Bar
- Foreign law degree (LLB) followed by Nigerian Law School bar courses
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Barrister: Bar training, then pupillage at chambers
- Solicitor degree apprenticeship (Level 7), then train as a solicitor advocate
- CILEX route, then qualify as a solicitor
🇺🇸 United States
- Join a law firm or public defender or legal aid office
- A few states allow training in a law office instead of law school (varies by state)
🇨🇦 Canada
- Articling then join a litigation firm
- Law Practice Program in Ontario as an alternative to articling
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Do very well in English, Literature and Government at school
- 2Study Law at university
- 3Complete the professional training and pass the final qualifying exams
- 4Get admitted to practise and finish any required training period
- 5Practise in a law firm, then build your own reputation or chambers
⏰ A day in the life
You spend the morning reading case files and preparing questions for a witness. By noon you are in court presenting your arguments, and in the evening you meet a client to explain what the judge decided.