H-1B Hiring Trends for Lawyers
Explore H-1B visa filings for Lawyers. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 66 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 66 |
| Approval Rate | 97% |
| Average Salary | $216,530 |
| Salary Range | $70,000 - $450,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP |
| Primary Location | New York |
Lawyers is one of the H-1B visa categories with 2 filings and an average salary of $113,465. The "Lawyers" role shows a stable trend in H-1B hiring. There's a significant disparity between the number of H-1B petitions filed and those approved, indicating high competition. The data suggests a concentration of "Lawyers" roles in specific states, potentially limiting geographic diversity for applicants.
| Total Filings | 66 |
| Approval Rate | 97% |
| Average Salary | $216,530 |
| Median Salary | $215,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $174,720 |
| 75th Percentile | $250,000 |
| Minimum Salary | $70,000 |
| Maximum Salary | $450,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $110,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $174,720 |
| Median (50th) | $215,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $250,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $330,000 |
| Average | $216,530 |
| Sample Size | 66 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 58 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 6 |
| H-1B1 CHILE | 2 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 66 |
How do H-1B salaries for Lawyers compare to the overall U.S. workforce? Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024 OEWS) compared to H-1B LCA filings.
| Percentile | H-1B Salary | U.S. Domestic (BLS) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $110,000 | $72,780 | +51% |
| 25th | $174,720 | $99,760 | +75% |
| Median | $215,000 | $151,160 | +42% |
| 75th | $250,000 | $215,420 | +16% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. H-1B data from DOL LCA filings.
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP | 34 | $247k |
| Davis Wright Tremaine LLP | 3 | $209k |
| Andrade Gonzalez LLP | 2 | $210k |
| Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. | 2 | $234k |
| Wilkinson Stekloff LLP | 2 | $295k |
| The Knot Worldwide Inc. | 2 | $143k |
| Virtu Financial Operating LLC | 2 | $175k |
| Central Law Guatemala LLC | 1 | $81k |
| BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. | 1 | $240k |
| Cuatrecasas Goncalves Pereira LLP | 1 | $100k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| New York | 31 |
| California | 14 |
| District of Columbia | 8 |
| Maryland | 3 |
| Florida | 2 |
| Washington | 2 |
| Illinois | 2 |
| Michigan | 2 |
| New Jersey | 1 |
| Texas | 1 |
Focus on demonstrating specialized legal expertise and consider targeting employers in states with a higher demand for legal professionals to improve H-1B prospects.
The average H-1B salary for Lawyers is $113,465, with a median of $145,540. The 25th-75th percentile range is $81,390 to $145,540.
Top H-1B sponsors for Lawyers include The Knot Worldwide Inc., Central Law Guatemala LLC. A total of 2 employers have filed for this role.
There are 2 H-1B filings on record for Lawyers positions. 100.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Lawyers positions are New York (1), Florida (1).
Yes, Lawyers is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 2 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Lawyers salaries range from $81,390 to $145,540. The median salary is $145,540.
The approval rate for Lawyers H-1B petitions is 100.0%. The total number of petitions (113,465) significantly exceeds the number of approved petitions (81,390), highlighting a competitive landscape.
The data indicates a very low number of petitions for "Lawyers" roles (2 petitions filed, 2 approved), which might be an anomaly or represent a niche area within the broader legal field.
Focus on demonstrating specialized legal expertise and consider targeting employers in states with a higher demand for legal professionals to improve H-1B prospects.
The provided state data (NY:1, FL:1) suggests a limited geographic distribution for this specific role, with a focus on major metropolitan areas.
The Lawyers occupation (SOC code 23-1011) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Lawyers positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Lawyers positions is Not Specified (66 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 66 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Lawyers positions show an average offered salary of $216,530, with a range from $70,000 at the entry level to $450,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in New York (31 filings) and California (14 filings). According to BLS data, there are approximately 747,750 workers employed in this occupation across the United States.
Career outlook for Lawyers professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Lawyers role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Lawyers roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Lawyers positions, the average offered salary of $216,530 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 41.1%, with 85% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Lawyers positions is 97%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Lawyers positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Lawyers H-1B filings is approximately 35 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Lawyers positions.