Legal services
NAICS Code: 541100
BLS projects Legal services to grow +1.2% through 2034 - 1.2 points slower than the 2.4% average across 291 U.S. industries, faster-growing than 37% of them. Its trajectory is close to the typical U.S. industry.
Where Legal services sits among all industries
Projected 2024-2034 growth across 291 U.S. industries (BLS). This industry is marked in rose.
Where Legal services sits by projected growth
Projected employment change across tracked industries
1.2% Top 63% higher than 37% of 291 industries
Industries, banded by projected growth
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more industries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source BLS Employment Projections · 2026-05-15
Steady-state read
Signature: 47.9% mean employer AI exposure across 89 tracked public companies .
Both projected growth and public-company coverage sit in the middle of the fleet - compare the peer employment table with the company grades to see whether size peers and AI-risk peers tell the same story.
NAICS 541100 · 1,192,700 workers (2024, ×1k) · source BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034. Employer AI grades are occupation-weighted scores from our SEC cohort, not automation predictions for every establishment in Legal services.
Public companies in this NAICS sector
NAICS sector 54 bucket (includes sibling industries). 89 companies scored · mean AI exposure 47.9%.
| Company | AI grade |
|---|---|
| Abm Industries Inc /De/ | C |
| Accenture plc | C |
| ADT Inc. | C |
| Aecom | C |
| AerCap Holdings N.V. | C |
| Air Lease Corp | C |
| Airbnb, Inc. | C |
| Akamai Technologies Inc | C |
Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure from our employer corpus - not a claim that every establishment in Legal services shares the same risk. Source: SEC company metadata + O*NET-weighted scores · as of 2026-05-15.
Peer Industries by Employment
How Legal services (NAICS 541100) compares to industries of similar size, ordered by 2024 BLS employment.
| Industry | 2024 | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Automobile dealers | 1,287,300 | +2.7% |
| Building material and supplies dealers | 1,212,100 | +2.0% |
| Elementary and secondary schools; private | 1,199,400 | -0.4% |
| Legal services | 1,192,700 | +1.2% |
| Engineering services | 1,179,600 | +4.2% |
| Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services | 1,153,500 | +2.4% |
Peers are selected by similarity in 2024 employment. Figures in thousands. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people work in Legal services?
As of 2024, the Legal services industry employs approximately 1,192,700 workers in the United States, according to BLS Employment Projections data.
Is Legal services growing or declining?
The Legal services industry is projected to grow by 1.2% from 2024 to 2034, a net change of +14,400 jobs over the decade.
Which public companies sit near Legal services?
89 tracked public companies in NAICS sector 54 (sibling industries included). Sample names include Abm Industries Inc /De/, Accenture plc, ADT Inc.. Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure scores, not company-specific automation forecasts.
How will AI affect the Legal services industry?
Among 89 tracked public companies tied to this industry's sector, the mean occupation-weighted AI exposure score is 47.9% (most common grade C). That is a staffing-pattern signal from our employer corpus, not a forecast for every firm in Legal services. Pair it with occupation-level AI exposure scores for role-specific risk.
Where to look next
What to do with this
Use Legal services' employment and exposure numbers above to look up individual employers and occupations, not just the industry aggregate.
- See how public employers in this and other industries rank nationwide by AI displacement risk. Employer AI risk rankings
- Browse individual occupations to see exposure and wage detail below the industry level. Browse all occupations
- Compare this industry's outlook against a specific occupation or employer using the interactive tool. Workforce comparison tool
Industry-level figures are aggregates; individual employer and occupation outcomes vary.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034; SEC employer metadata for AI grades Employment figures in thousands. Employer grades are occupation-weighted exposure scores, not firm automation forecasts