US Legal & Compliance Postings Rise 8%, but Hiring Stays Spread Thin
New job postings grew in the last 30 days, yet the market is split across thousands of employers with no single name taking a big share.
The middle posted range across all levels. 55% of open roles post their pay.
3,496 roles with yearly payof open roles are at employers with recent US H-1B visa filings. DLA Piper and Amazon are on the list.
US H-1B filings, matched by employeris what the typical role asks for. 14% ask for 10 years or more.
79% of open roles state yearsThis week's read
There are 6,327 open Legal & Compliance roles in the US right now, spread across 2,375 companies. New postings rose 8% over the last 30 days, 2,078 versus 1,919 in the prior period. Weekly postings have been climbing too, reaching 605 in the week of 26 October, the strongest week of the last two months.
Even with that growth, no employer controls much of the market: the top 8 employers together hold just 10% of all open roles. State of Florida leads with 184 openings, followed by Raydar and Vanguard IP. Vanguard IP's new postings fell 54% in the last 30 days, and two other names on the list, Allstate and ACLU Internships, saw new postings drop 82% and 97%.
If visa sponsorship matters to you, only 9% of open roles sit at employers with recent H-1B filings, a list that includes DLA Piper and Amazon. Remote work is also limited, with just 9% of roles posted as remote, so most hiring expects you in an office.
Pay is posted on 55% of roles, with a typical range of $130k to $180k across all levels. Director roles run $185k to $253k and Senior or Lead roles $140k to $193k, while Mid level sits at $120k to $170k. Principal or Staff roles, at $101k to $140k, actually post lower than Senior or Lead.
On experience, the median minimum asked is 5 years, and 14% of roles want 10 or more. Among skills named in postings, AI and machine learning leads at 11%, well ahead of named tools like LexisNexis. A qualified lawyer credential is named in 5% of postings.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Don't chase one big employer
The top 8 employers hold only 10% of open roles between them. With 2,375 companies hiring, your odds improve by casting a wide net rather than fixating on a few famous names.
- Check the level, not just the title
Pay bands overlap oddly: Principal or Staff roles post lower ($101k to $140k) than Senior or Lead ($140k to $193k). Look at the actual posted range before assuming a bigger title means more pay.
- Experience bar is mid to senior
The median minimum experience asked is 5 years, and 14% of roles want 10 or more. This is not a junior-heavy market, so tailor your pitch toward depth of experience.
Pay
What Legal roles in the United States pay, by level
The middle (median) of the pay ranges employers post. Read each bar from the typical low end to the typical high end of a posting. 55% of open roles post their pay.
See the numbers
| Level | Roles with pay | Typical low | Typical high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director | 294 | $185k | $253k |
| Principal / Staff | 111 | $101k | $140k |
| Senior / Lead | 837 | $140k | $193k |
| Mid level | 2,254 | $120k | $170k |
Yearly USD ranges only (hourly pay and other currencies are left out). Level is read from the job title.
Momentum
New Legal roles each week
Last 30 days: 2,078 new roles, against 1,919 the 30 days before (+8%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 427 |
| 14 Sep | 486 |
| 21 Sep | 480 |
| 28 Sep | 551 |
| 5 Oct | 513 |
| 12 Oct | 517 |
| 19 Oct | 545 |
| 26 Oct | 605 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open Legal roles
2,375 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 10% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles | H-1B filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| State of Florida | 184 | ||
| Raydar | 87 | ||
| Vanguard IP | 81 | -54% | |
| Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani | 64 | ||
| Lewis Brisbois | 64 | ||
| DLA Piper | 58 | On the list | |
| Gtlaw | 57 | ||
| Amazon | 48 | On the list |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology Legal roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 6,018 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: Intellectual property 9%, Healthcare 7%, Financial services 7%. Certifications named: qualified lawyer 5%, CIPP 2%, CAMS 1%. 9% of open roles say they are remote.
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