What Is a Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC)? And How to Become One

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

Legal nurse consultants use their health care knowledge to consult on legal cases. Learn more about what they do and how to become one below.

[Featured Image] A legal nurse consultant, wearing a blue uniform and face covering, is looking at charts.

Key takeaways

Legal nurse consultants (LNCs) work with attorneys and law firms on medical cases. Explore key facts to know:

  • The median total salary for legal nurse consultants is $125,000 [1].

  • LNCs act as witnesses, educate legal experts, and analyze medical records.

  • You can become a legal nurse consultant by obtaining a degree, earning a certification, and gaining state licensure. 

Registered nurses looking to expand their skill sets and expertise might consider becoming an LNC. Learn more about what LNCs do, where they work, what they make, and how to become one. Afterward, consider enrolling in the Healthcare Law Specialization, offered by the University of Pennsylvania. In as little as one month, you’ll have the opportunity to learn how HIPAA operates and how to implement privacy best practices within your organization. Upon completion, add this shareable credential to your resume or LinkedIn profile.

An LNC is a registered nurse (RN) who provides medical consultations on legal cases. Rather than offering guidance to patients, LNCs review and analyze legal information to advise attorneys working on health care and nursing malpractice cases.

Unique in the health care industry due to their medical and legal knowledge, LNCs use their expertise to manage a range of responsibilities in a variety of professional settings. 

Responsibilities and duties

Though they share much of the same training and experience, the role of an LNC includes vastly different responsibilities and duties than those of an RN. Legal nurse consultants pair their expert medical knowledge with an understanding of health care and nursing laws.

Some common LNC responsibilities include:

  • Review and analyze medical records

  • Pass professional judgment on medical cases

  • Advise attorneys on health care-related cases, such as those pertaining to medical malpractice

  • Educate legal experts on the standards of care for nursing

  • Act as an expert witness during trials

Work environment 

Legal nurse consultants are employed in a wide variety of professional environments, including hospitals, clinics, care facilities, law firms, and health insurance companies. 

LNC salary and job outlook

Their unique skill set, training, and experience make LNCs valuable to both employers and potential clients. As a result, RNs who become LNCs can often expect to see a pay increase and more demand for their services. 

Legal nurse consultant salary

Although there are no official statistics on the average salary that LNCs make per year, there is data that suggests a reasonable range that those entering the field of legal nursing can expect to make.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for registered nurses was $93,600 in May 2024 [2]. Using self-reported data, however, Glassdoor places the median total annual salary for legal nursing consultants at $125,000 as of October 2025 [1]. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

In effect, aspiring LNCs can expect to earn a greater median salary than RNs, though the exact amount will likely vary based on experience and geographic location. 

Legal nurse consultant job outlook

Much as is the case with their salary, there are no official statistics on the job outlook for legal nurse consultants. However, the statistics that are available paint an optimistic picture.

According to the BLS, the number of job openings in health care occupations is projected to be 1.9 million annually between 2024 and 2034 [3]. During the same period, the number of RN positions is expected to increase by 5 percent, resulting in approximately 189,100 job openings for registered nurses each year [2].

This combined outlook suggests that LNCs can reasonably expect their services to be in demand in the coming years.

How long does it take to become a legal nurse consultant?

The timeframe to become a legal nurse consultant may depend on how much nursing experience you already have. If you’ve already completed a bachelor’s degree and are a registered nurse with years of experience, it may take less time for you to meet the other requirements needed to be a legal nurse consultant. However, if you’re starting without a degree or experience, it may take at least five years, typically more, for you to become a legal nurse consultant.

LNCs are highly trained professionals with a specialized skill set that interprets health care through a legal framework. To become an LNC, you should do the following: 

1. Become an RN.

To practice as an LNC, you must first be a registered nurse (RN).

Consequently, individuals wanting to become legal nurse consultants should first work on becoming a certified registered nurse. There are several paths to becoming a registered nurse, including through a bachelor’s degree program, an associate degree program, and a specialized training program.

Once you have achieved the required training, you must then pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and receive state licensure to practice as an RN professionally. 

Read more: How Hard Is Nursing School? Tips for Success

2. Get LNC training.

Legal nurse consulting programs build on course takers’ medical education and experience by providing a deeper understanding of health care and nursing laws. As a result, registered nurses hoping to become LNCs will likely benefit from attending programs specifically designed to provide legal training to nursing professionals. 

3. Consider obtaining a legal nurse consultant certification.

Though not strictly required, those hoping to enter the field might consider joining a legal nurse consultant certification program. Offered by both accredited universities and professional organizations, such as the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC), these programs provide additional training and offer professional legal nursing credentials that could make you a more competitive job applicant.

The LNCC exam, for instance, is a common path for an RN to showcase their professional commitment. To qualify for the exam, you must not only be a registered nurse but also have at least five years of professional RN experience and a minimum of 2,000 hours of legal nurse consulting in the past five years. Legal nurse consultants certified through the LNCC exam must take it every five years to maintain their certification. 

Practicing LNCs can find both full-time and part-time work through a variety of sources. Common job posting sites, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter, can help you identify local opportunities. Meanwhile, professional organizations like the AALNC provide a professional network that can help connect LNC providers with potential clients and employers.

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Article sources

1. 

Glassdoor. “Salary: Legal Nurse Consultant in United States, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/legal-nurse-consultant-salary-SRCH_KO0,22.htm.” Accessed October 22, 2025.

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