Lawyer Salary Canada: Detailed 2023 Review of Highest & Average Salaries

Home » Lawyer Salary Canada: Detailed 2023 Review of Highest & Average Salaries

From coast to coast, a lawyer’s salary in Canada varies depending on many factors like the province, city, area of practice, years of experience, and size of the law firm. In reality, even more factors affect how much a lawyer makes in Canada in 2023. On this page, you will learn all about lawyer salaries to give you a better outlook on remuneration in the legal profession. One thing for certain is that lawyers are one of the highest-paying jobs in Canada.

Learn How to Become a Lawyer in Canada

Average Lawyer Salary Canada

Although Canadian lawyer salaries vary dramatically from mid $30,000 to over $400,000, the average lawyer salary in Canada is $126,595. However, the cost of becoming a lawyer in Canada is not cheap, and although the average salaries are high compared to other professions, legal practitioners usually have a large student debt to repay.

Lawyer Salary in Canada Provincial Breakdown

In the table below, you will see the lawyer’s salary range in every Canadian province. In 2023, lawyer salaries in Ontario are, on average, $143,861, one of the country’s highest averages in the country. The lowest-paid lawyers are in Saskatchewan, where they are paid $36,806 a year and the highest-paid positions are located in Alberta with some making over $444,091 a year.

In-Depth Provincial Outlook

We have compiled average salary outlooks for the top three cities in each province.

Factors Affecting Lawyer Salaries in Canada

How much lawyers make in Canada will depend not only on the province and the city you decide to practice law in but also on the type of law you will practice in, years of experience, and the size of the law firm. Below you will learn how to become one of the highest paid lawyers in Canada.

Area of Practice

The practice area in which lawyers work significantly affects how much they get paid. The below salary information reflects Canada-wide averages of lawyers who have a few years of experience in a specific area of law.

• Civil lawyer salary Canada – on average civil lawyers make $127,021 per year with the lowest being $96,723 per year and the highest being above $151,000 per year.
• Corporate lawyer salary Canada – on average corporate lawyers make $132,352 per year with the lowest being $114,535 per year and the highest being above $170,000 per year.
• Criminal lawyer salary Canada – on average criminal lawyers make $105,235 per year with the lowest being $72,217 per year and the highest being above $126,500 per year.
• Entertainment lawyer salary Canada – on average entertainment lawyers make $130,212 per year with the lowest being $102,020 per year and the highest being above $155,000 per year.
• Environmental lawyer salary Canada – on average environmental lawyers make $139,220 per year with the lowest being $90,127 per year and the highest being above $170,000 per year.
• Family lawyer salary Canada – on average family lawyers make $130,011 per year with the lowest being $100,920 per year and the highest being above $140,000 per year.
• Government lawyer salary Canada – on average government lawyers make $131,965 per year with the lowest being $85,022 and the highest being above $160,000 per year.
• Insurance lawyer salary Canada – on average insurance lawyers make $125,207 per year with the lowest being $92,891 per year and the highest being above $145,000 per year.
• Medical lawyer salary Canada – on average medical lawyers make $152,092 per year with the lowest being $105,072 per year and the highest being above $160,000 per year.
• Personal injury lawyer salary Canada – on average personal injury lawyers make $131,020 per year with the lowest being $79,920 per year and the highest being above $150,000 per year.

Years of Practicing Law and Lawyer Salary Canada

Another significant factor that will affect how much lawyers are paid is how many years have they been practicing law. The below figures will also vary depending on what area of law you practice in.

Junior level (1 – 3 years) – on average entry-level lawyer salary in Canada is $104,000 per year with remuneration rising every year. This figure will also highly depend on which law school you graduated from. Since law graduates from more prestigious law schools tend to secure employment at large law firms.

Associate level (3 – 6 years) – on average as an associate lawyer you can expect to get paid $132,820 per year with remuneration rising every year.

Senior level (6+ years) – on average as a senior lawyer you can expect to get paid above $167,000 per year with remuneration rising every year.

Size of Law Firm

The final factor that will affect lawyer salary in Canada is the size of the law firm that they work in. Bigger, international law firms tend to pay considerably more than national or small firms. However, sole practitioners or small boutique law firm owners can expect to make close to what lawyers in big law firms make. In Canada, Bay Street law firms, or as they are also known as the Seven Sisters are amongst the highest-paying law firms in the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions about how much lawyers make in Canada:

Is being a lawyer worth it in Canada?

As in many other countries, lawyers in Canada are considered a prestigious, stable, and lucrative career. Lawyers are one of the most highly paid professions in the country, along with doctors, accountants, and engineers, with a yearly average of $126,595. However, anyone who wants to become a lawyer in Canada must consider the costs of education, which can be higher than in other careers.

Which type of lawyer earns the most in Canada?

There is no one type of lawyer that earns the most in Canada; however, there are certain qualities that could earn you a high salary in law. You can earn over $200,000 as a lawyer in Canada if you have over 5 years of experience and practice within a highly demanded area of law. The size of the law firm that you work for doesn’t necessarily matter because on many occasions, successful solo practitioners or partners in small law firms can make as much as lawyers in big firms.

How much do the top 1% of lawyers make?

The top 1% of lawyers in Canada earn over $400,000 a year. These lawyers tend to have nearly 10 years of experience in the field, and many are partners or key decision-makers within their firms. These individuals are truly experts in their fields of law and on many occasions are contributing to the business aspect of operating a law firm.

How much do top lawyers make in Ontario?

The top lawyers in Ontario make over $350,000 a year. Considering that the average for Ontario is $143,861, the highest-paid lawyers make significantly more than most lawyers in the province. Ontario is Canada’s largest legal sector with many prominent international law firms operating in the province as well as many established and successful small and medium firms originating from there.

Do lawyers make good money in Canada?

Yes, lawyers on average, make $126,595 a year in Canada, which is considered well above the national average salary of close to $50,000 a year. However, not all lawyers make that much and higher salaries are associated with numerous years of experience as well as the acquired skill set. Lawyer salaries also dramatically differ from province to province and even between cities.

What is the biggest law firm in Canada?

In 2023, the biggest law firm in Canada is Borden Ladner Gervais, with over 800 lawyers. However, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin is a close second and in fact, these two firms switch positions as the biggest firm every few years. Both firms originated in Canada and are headquartered in Toronto. While Borden Ladner Gervais has 5 offices of which all are in Canada, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin has 10 offices with 3 international offices being in London, Johannesburg, and Beijing.