Counsel

The employment outlook will be Moderate for lawyers and quebec notaries (NOC 41101) in Quebec for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
• Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Employment in this occupational group primarily depends on the number of legal disputes and the ability to pay from their clients.

The rising cost of living is limiting household spending power and reducing their willingness to initiate legal proceedings.

Among lawyers, several traditional fields remain in demand, such as family law, tax law, and immigration law, while newer sectors, such as intellectual property law, are gaining momentum. Furthermore, businesses will continue to utilize the services of commercial law specialists.

For notaries, the aging population will help sustain demand for wills and mandates in the event of incapacity. In addition, lower mortgage rates should contribute to a recovery in the housing market, which will stimulate demand for mortgage contracts that must be registered by a notary.

Here are some key facts about lawyers and quebec notaries in Quebec:

• Approximately 29,800 people work in this occupation.
• Lawyers and Quebec notaries mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Legal services (NAICS 5411): 65%
  • Provincial and territorial public administration (NAICS 912): 9%
  • Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing (NAICS 52, 53): 6%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 93% compared to 82% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 7% compared to 18% for all occupations
• 73% of lawyers and quebec notaries work all year, while 27% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 46 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• 36% of lawyers and quebec notaries are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 44% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 56% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: less than 5% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 51% compared to 17% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 49% compared to 11% for all occupations