9 of the Most Popular Types of Trial Attorney Jobs in 2026

See what kind of roles similar to Trial Attorney jobs are hiring now

Top Types Of Trial Attorney Jobs

• Entry Level Lawyer

  Salary range: $79,000 - $103,000

  An entry-level lawyer performs a range of research, writing, and legal services duties for a law firm. As an entry-level attorney, you typically work on cases as part of a larger team of lawyers, and your responsibilities may focus on specific aspects of the case, such as interviewing witnesses, working with paralegals to sort out legal research and find relevant casework, or filing documents with the court or opposing counsel. You also assist more senior lawyers with administrative tasks.

• Pre Litigation Attorney

  Salary range: $101,000 - $151,500

  Pre Litigation Attorney is a common job search query. Most salaries for Pre Litigation Attorney jobs pay between $101,000 (25th percentile) and $151,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Pre Litigation Attorney job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Non Practicing Attorney

  Salary range: $80,000 - $130,000

  Non Practicing Attorney is a typical job search query Most salaries for Non Practicing Attorney jobs pay between $80,000 (25th percentile) and $130,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Non Practicing Attorney job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Associate Attorney

  Salary range: $80,000 - $130,000

  Associate attorneys are early career lawyers who work for law firms to gain experience and hone their skills after completing law school and passing the bar exam for their state. Under the guidance of an experienced attorney or a partner in the firm, associate attorneys assist with cases by conducting legal research and writing reports, legal briefs, and other documents. Associate attorneys also negotiate with colleagues from other law firms, participate in jury selection, and help argue cases in court.

• Transactional Attorney

  Salary range: $100,000 - $147,000

  Unlike litigators, a transactional attorney's duties and responsibilities do not involve being in a courtroom. Instead, your role involves working with interested parties, such as two companies in the same industry, to negotiate and draft contracts, advise clients on real estate transactions or other monetary transactions, and help your clients draw up wills and trusts, as well as other legal paperwork. Your duties include a significant research component, as you need to review all relevant law related to your client and their business. For example, when negotiating the sale of one company to another, you are responsible for ensuring that your client follows all regulations related to the sale.

• Litigation Attorney

  Salary range: $101,000 - $151,500

  A litigation attorney is a lawyer who assists their client with legal claims against a defendant. As a litigator, your responsibilities and duties include investigating and developing your client's case. You walk clients through the process of filing their lawsuit, drafting all the necessary paperwork, and ensuring that you present the most persuasive case possible. You represent your client at pretrial hearings and at the trial itself if a settlement is not reached beforehand. You file all necessary motions and advocate for your client to the very best of your ability while upholding all ethical and legal standards.

• Lawyer

  Salary range: $79,000 - $103,000

  Lawyers are trained experts in the law. They provide legal counsel as well as act as a voice for the client’s they represent. Lawyers typically specialize in a particular field of law. For example, civil law attorneys may focus on cases involving property transfer or damage, family court cases, or libel or slander lawsuits. But there are many other fields of law they may choose to cover, such as bankruptcy law, environmental law, or criminal litigation. A lawyer’s day-to-day responsibilities vary, based on their specialty and the kind of case they are working on; however, general duties include performing legal research, collecting evidence, interviewing clients and others who may have pertinent information in the case, drawing up documents and contracts, and filing briefs.

• Part Time Lawyer

  Salary range: $79,000 - $103,000

  As a part-time lawyer, your job is to help advance a legal case. In this role, you may defend a client in a lawsuit, help prosecute criminals, research existing case law, provide counsel, process paperwork, or answer questions from clients. Many part-time lawyers specialize in specific areas and help a larger firm meet its staffing needs. For example, an attorney could work a few hours a week to help people with tax and estate planning, or they could serve as a staff attorney who helps draft contracts, negotiates with outside counsel, or researches proposed and existing laws to determine how they may affect legal compliance and business needs.

• Attorney

  Salary range: $65,500 - $120,000

  Attorneys perform a variety of legal tasks on behalf of their clients. In this career, you advise your clients on the intricacies of the law and how it may affect them personally or how it may affect their business. You also perform complex legal research in preparation for a case or arbitration. You conduct interviews, review case law, and prepare oral arguments. Attorneys work in a variety of specific fields, including criminal law, constitutional law, corporate law, and environmental law, to name just a few. You can work for a law firm or as a legal advocate for an organization.