They may deal with major courtroom cases or minor traffic disputes, complex corporate mergers or straightforward real estate transactions. They represent both the impoverished and the wealthy, the helpless and the powerful. Lawyers may work solo, in a small group, or in a large law firms. About 72.9 percent of American lawyers are in private practice, most in small, one-person offices and some in large firms. Roughly 8.2 percent of the profession works for government agencies, 9.5 percent works for private industries and associations as salaried lawyers or as managers, 1.1 percent works for legal aid or as public defenders, and 1 percent is in legal education.
Many lawyers develop expertise in a particular field of law.
Large law firms that provide a full range of legal services tend to employ more specialists. The sole practitioner, who must handle a variety of problems alone, may have greater opportunity to work in several areas.