What lawyers, law students, law clerks, paralegals, and legal assistants earn in Canada, with a source for every figure. We use published surveys, government wage data, and employers' own pages, and we date every number so you know how current it is.
Headline figures
| Role | Pay | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bay Street first-year associate | about $135,000 base | The Globe and Mail, 2025 |
| Toronto summer and articling students (median) | $1,900 a week | NALP, Jan 2025 |
| Lawyers in Canada (median) | $59.76 an hour | Job Bank |
| Paralegals and law clerks in Ontario (median) | $33.00 an hour | Job Bank |
| Legal assistants in Canada (median) | $27.47 an hour | Job Bank |
Guides
- Bay Street salary scaleWhat Bay Street associates and students earn in 2026: about $135,000 for first-years at top Toronto firms, plus medians by year of call and bonuses.Updated October 9, 2026
- Articling and summer student salariesWhat articling and summer law students earn: $1,900 a week median at Toronto firms, $1,550 nationally, and Ontario's $620 weekly articling minimum.Updated October 9, 2026
- Lawyer salaries in CanadaThe median Canadian lawyer earns $59.76 an hour, roughly $124,000 a year. See pay by province, by year of call, and at large Toronto firms.Updated October 9, 2026
- Law clerk and paralegal salariesOntario law clerks and paralegals earn a median of $33.00 an hour, about $68,600 a year. See pay by province and by experience, with sources.Updated October 9, 2026
- Legal assistant salariesCanadian legal assistants earn a median of $27.47 an hour, about $57,100 a year. See pay by province and how to move into higher-paying roles.Updated October 9, 2026
Sources and scope
Salary figures are dated estimates from the sources listed. Individual offers vary by employer, city, practice area, and experience.