Of every category we track, legal pays the most. Not software, not machine learning research. Legal. The median top-of-range across 95 live legal listings is $140 an hour, and the ceiling goes higher than that.
What the listings actually pay
The reason is specific. Frontier labs are trying to make models that reason about contracts, statutes, and liability without inventing case law, and the only way to check that is to have someone who can actually be sued for being wrong read the output. Malpractice exposure is what your rate is priced against.
| # | Role | Advertised rate | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BigLaw lawyers | $140 to $400 an hour | micro1 |
| 2 | Intellectual Property Counsel | $100 to $200 an hour | micro1 |
| 3 | Lawyer | $80 to $180 an hour | micro1 |
| 4 | Pro Bono Counsel (Access to Justice Expert) | $170 to $170 an hour | Mercor |
| 5 | Corporate/M&A Lawyer (France) | $150 to $160 an hour | Mercor |
| 6 | Legal / Commercial Expert | $80 to $160 an hour | Mercor |
| 7 | Legal Expert: Tier 1 Specialist (Project Donna) | $150 to $150 an hour | Mercor |
| 8 | In-House Counsel (Germany) | $140 to $150 an hour | Mercor |
| 9 | Litigation Attorney (Commercial Real Estate) | $100 to $150 an hour | micro1 |
| 10 | Bankruptcy Attorney | $90 to $150 an hour | micro1 |
Source: 95 live listings on this board that publish a rate, read directly from each posting on 2026-09-05. Listings without a published rate are excluded rather than estimated.
What moves your rate
This is also why the work suits practicing attorneys rather than people leaving law. It is asynchronous, it has no client relationship, and it does not conflict out. Most of the lawyers doing it treat it as billable-adjacent hours that do not require a client.
How to apply
Every role above links to its own page with the full requirements and a direct application link. Applications are completed on the hiring platform and typically take a few minutes, with a short skills assessment in place of an interview.
Two things are worth doing before you apply. Check whether the role accepts applicants from your country using the eligibility checker, and run the advertised rate through the take-home calculator, because this is contract work and the headline rate is before self-employment tax.
Frequently asked questions
What do legal AI jobs pay?
Across 95 live legal listings that publish a rate, the median top-of-range is $140 an hour, with the highest currently at $400. That makes legal the best paid category on our board.
Do I need to be a licensed attorney?
For most of the higher paying listings, yes, and an active bar admission is often required. Paralegal and legal-adjacent listings exist and pay less, but they are a much smaller share of the category.
Does this create a conflict of interest with my firm?
There is no client and no representation, so traditional conflicts rules generally do not attach. That said, check your firm's outside-activity policy before you start, because many firms require disclosure of any paid outside work.
Is this document review?
No. Document review is volume work priced accordingly. This is evaluating whether a model's legal reasoning is sound, which is judgment work, and the rates reflect that difference.
Can I do this alongside full-time practice?
Yes, and that is the common pattern. The work is asynchronous with no set hours, so most attorneys pick it up in evenings or between matters.
See every live role
The full board updates several times a week, with the advertised rate on each listing and closed roles removed.