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“The Study of Law is useful in a variety of points of view. It qualifies a man to be useful to himself, to his neighbours, and to the public,” these were the words of Thomas Jefferson which indeed explained the essence of law as a discipline and a law seeker as a leader. It is not wrong to say that pursuing law is not just a career option but a life-changing experience for many. Law as a career brings out excellent leaders and passionate human beings to the world. This statement can be backed by personalities like – Mahatma Gandhi, Barack Obama, Dr Rajendra Prasad and many more. Want to learn everything about a career in law? Not sure where to start? Well, you are in the right place; stay tuned till the end and you will get answers to all your questions regarding a career in law.
A lawyer job includes a range of activities to do, from working as an adviser by helping their clients with legal matters to preparing documents on legal issues or doing research on the same. Individuals in the lawyer career path are primarily responsible for helping their clients navigate the legal bog. A majority of the individuals in lawyer career in India work involves research. Individuals with a lawyer career in India can practice as criminal or corporate lawyers. Individuals in the criminal lawyer career look into only civil cases such as divorce and labor laws while several other lawyers practice international law.
There are various forms of intellectual property such as patents, trademarks, industrial designs, franchising, copyrights, distribution, and trade secrets that must be formally registered with government agencies to receive maximum protection under the law. A lawyer's job includes counseling their clients on establishing and protecting intellectual capital.
The role of lawyer as an advisor is to counsel his or her client about their legal rights and accountability and suggests courses of action in professional and personal matters. All solicitors research the intent of laws and judicial decisions and apply the laws to the specific circumstances that his or her clients face. A lawyer might provide legal advice to clients for good consideration, even if no lawsuit is contemplated or is in progress.
One of the most important and primary lawyer work is to build and manage relationships with clients. A lawyer work responsibilities include interviewing clients to know him or her personally. Next, a lawyer is required to discover the facts of the client’s case and then clarify what the client wants to accomplish. After knowing the client's expectations, a lawyer shapes the client’s expectations as to what can be accomplished. The next thing a lawyer is obliged to do is to develop various claims or defenses for the client. And lastly, the lawyer explains one’s fees to the client.
Legislators create government agencies to carry out laws and regulate the functions of the government. A lawyer who practices administrative law might never see a courtroom. A lawyer belonging to administrative law might spend the vast majority of their practice filling legal documents and arguing with judges in a formal setting. Few administrative lawyers interact a lot with people, while the rest spend most of their time drafting documents.
Administrative lawyers are both private and public solicitors. Public solicitors work within a wide range of disciplines within a government agency. Private solicitors might work for a government agency on a contract basis rather than as an employee. They might also practice law on behalf of private clients.
One of the most crucial work responsibilities of a lawyer is to carry out in-depth research. He or she reviews earlier representations of laws and the history of judicial decisions. A lawyer uses precedents to support his or her case. A lawyer researches through various sources such as law libraries, public documents, computer databases, and the internet. In addition to this, one is also responsible for drafting legal papers and preparing for a legal verbal argument.
A lawyer also serves as an advocate in court. He or she is responsible for speaking on behalf of his or her client and presenting supporting evidence. A lawyer counsels his or her clients on legal rights and obligations. He or she can interpret laws, apply laws to specific situations and draft new laws. A lawyer job includes representing one of the parties in a criminal or civil trial by presenting evidence and arguing in support of his or her client.
Step 1
Complete a Bachelor's Degree Program You Enjoy
A bachelor's degree is the minimum educational requirement for admission to law school. No singular field of study is recommended by the American Bar Association at this level. In fact, the ABA notes that students gain admission to law school from nearly every area of study, ranging from political science to mathematics. Common undergraduate majors for prelaw students include English, political science, economics, business, philosophy, and journalism. There's no correct major to pursue to get into law school. But according to legal educators, prospective J.D. students who take classes they enjoy report better GPA scores. And given the importance of your undergraduate GPA in the law school admissions process, focusing on coursework you enjoy can help you become a competitive candidate.
Step 2
Pass the Law School Admission Test
Along with an undergraduate degree, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a core component of the law school admissions process. Admissions officers use scores from the LSAT as an objective measure to assess the knowledge and quality of applicants. The examination includes five multiple-choice question sections and an unscored writing sample. The LSAT measures candidates' skills in critical areas of future legal work, including reading comprehension, information management, analysis and critical thinking, reasoning, and argumentation.
Step 3
Identify Law Schools and Complete Applications
After finishing an undergraduate degree, some students choose to forego further education, while others gain professional experience in other fields prior to enrolling in law school. Regardless of the timing, prospective students should only consider law schools accredited by the American Bar Association. In addition to overall GPA, undergraduate coursework, and LSAT scores, other admission factors may include community service, organizational affiliations, and recommendation letters from educators, alumni or legal professionals. The Law School Admission Council is a great resource for students in the research phase of the law school application process.
Step 4
Earn a Juris Doctor Degree
The Juris Doctor (JD) is the nationally recognized degree for practicing law in the United States and is currently offered by 205 ABA-accredited law schools. Prospective students should have knowledge of the faculty, areas of study, tuition, and curriculum prior to applying. There are numerous specialties within legal practice and students should select a program that offers a focused curriculum in their area of interest. For example, students may choose to concentrate in areas of real estate, property, criminal, environmental, tax, or family law. Typically students can complete their Juris Doctor in three years of full-time study. Popular concentrations include:
Corporate law: Corporate or business law is a lucrative field with responsibilities such as the formation and dissolution of corporations, mergers and acquisitions, corporate disputes, and more.
Family law: Family law deals with legal relations between families such as marriage, divorce, domestic partnerships, adoption, and child welfare.
Labor law: Labor attorneys deal with relations between workers and employers, often representing one side or the other on matters including discrimination, compensation, and collective bargaining.
Civil rights law: Civil rights lawyers work to protect individuals' civil rights, often representing individuals in matters against or relating to the government.
Health law: Health law is a broad field that focuses on everything related to healthcare, including healthcare policy, patents, and medical malpractice.
Intellectual property law: Attorneys in this type of law work to protect the intellectual property of clients through patents, trademarks, and copyright.
Tax law: Tax lawyers work closely with the tax code, often working on tax policy, and representing clients in tax matters.
Step 5
Pass the Bar Examination
Most states require lawyers to graduate from an ABA-approved law school and pass the state bar examination prior to qualifying in that state. Although each state sets its own testing guidelines, the bar exam is commonly a two day process: day one is spent completing the Multistate Bar Examination while day two focuses on writing examinations covering various legal matters. In addition to the bar examination, the state board of bar examiners also consider the candidate's educational background, competence, character, and ability to represent others in legal matters prior to offering full legal licensure.
Step 6
Advance Your Career
There are many opportunities for lawyers to advance their careers. Freshman lawyers generally start out as associates, working closely with seasoned lawyers to hone their craft. After several years of successful practice, attorneys may rise to become partners in a firm while others may choose to open their own law office. Some may move beyond practicing law and become a judge or shift into public positions. Lawyers may also pursue further education at both the master's and doctoral levels. The Master of Law (LLM) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) are two common choices for lawyers interested in careers involving research and academic scholarship.
The median annual wage for lawyers was $127,990 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $61,400, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for lawyers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Federal government | $152,590 |
| Legal services | 127,530 |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 100,330 |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 100,240 |
cons:
As a lawyer, you can choose from several career options in the both public and private sectors. Once you pass the bar exam, you can choose the specialty you're most passionate about. For example, you can represent citizens in your local community as a criminal prosecutor, or protect innocent lives as a criminal defense attorney. From real estate to corporate law, there are many ways for you to find fulfillment in this profession.
Once you have your law degree and a decent amount of experience, you can start your own business. When you have your own business as a lawyer, you can decide how you want to operate. For example, you can work with multiple clients at a time if you prefer the social aspect of this career, or you can work with a single client for an extended period of time if you want greater consistency and job security.
Lawyers have the ability to earn a generous income. They make a national average salary of $50,979 per year. Though you may not earn this income as a new lawyer, you can work your way toward this salary with enough hard work and experience. However, finding satisfaction in your specific field may be worth more than your annual salary.
As a lawyer, your daily duties can provide you with plenty of mental stimulation and challenges. For example, some of your responsibilities may include understanding complex legal theories and determining the possible outcomes for your clients when it comes to a case. To do this, you need to solve problems, form a hypothesis and create a legal strategy to benefit your client in the courtroom.
While some lawyers have unpredictable schedules, for the most part, this career allows you to fit your schedule to your particular needs. If you work for a law firm, they may even allow you to work from home. Having this option lets you spend more time with your family, giving you a greater work-life balance overall. Also, you can hire an assistant to help you with your duties.
As a lawyer, you have the opportunity to gain and grow several skills that can transfer to another career—whether it's in the legal field or out of this industry completely. For example, you can use your negotiation skills as a lawyer in a real estate profession, your problem-solving skills as a customer service representative or your research skills as a legal consultant.
As a lawyer, you have the ability to help businesses and people in need. While this profession allows you to seek justice for these parties, it also provides you with emotional rewards. Depending on your perspective, this can be more beneficial than the money you earn in this profession. Winning a case and resolving your client's problem can prove even more emotionally satisfying.
Many lawyers spend time in a law firm, corporation or government agency during the day. This means they can avoid the traditional office cubicle that most professions provide. If you prefer a more open layout, this is a particularly beneficial perk.
In addition to having a pleasant environment, lawyers can also take advantage of several work perks. For example, some lawyers can also enjoy a decorating budget to help make their work environment more conducive to their productivity. Other work perks they may be able to take advantage of include plush accommodations, gym memberships and support staff to help minimize their workload.
While not all lawyers argue in court, many trial attorneys do. If you enjoy a challenge and debating with other attorneys, this may be the career for you. During a court case, you not only have the chance to present your findings, but you can also argue legal theories, debate law interpretations and prove your point to the judge, jury and others in the courtroom.
Many people view the lawyer profession as one with a high level of prestige. This typically stems from their impressive degrees and the level of authority they have over others. This profession demands respect and is often viewed as glamorous by the media.
:When you're in this profession, it's important to meet deadlines and the demands of your clients. You may also come in contact with stressful and emotional cases that can have a negative impact on your mental health. Having control of your emotions is of utmost importance to find success in this career.
Even if you have a flexible schedule, there may be some days where you need to put in long hours to help your clients. This is mostly the case for new lawyers barely starting their careers. While a normal workweek consists of 40 hours, some lawyers put in 60 to 90 hours each week depending on the needs of the case they're working on.
Many law schools come with a large price tag. Typically, the better the law school, the higher the educational expense. Even with a generous salary, new lawyers may not be able to pay off their debt as quickly as they'd hope to.
If a client seeks legal advice or counsel, they don't always have to go to a lawyer for help. Recently, there's been an increase in the number of self-service products, self-help legal websites, legal document technicians and virtual law offices. While these may not always be the most reputable options on legal matters, they still divert prospective clients away from lawyers.
Clients have become more aware of legal fees and the prices lawyers charge for their services. When they're more conscious of their legal spending, it forces lawyers to offer more reasonable rates to retain their business. If they're charged an amount that seems too expensive, they may take their business elsewhere and get the help they need at a cheaper rate. For example, if your legal fees are too high, prospective clients may go to a paralegal or use technology to help answer their questions. This essentially results in a loss of profit and business for lawyers.
Since many foreign countries have a lower cost of living, they also have a lower cost of labor. This means they can complete the same amount of work at a cheaper cost compared to the United States and other developed countries. When this happens, there are fewer traditional positions available since these opportunities go to regional delivery centers or overseas low-wage workforces.
While being a lawyer is a reputable career, there's always a chance you could earn a poor public image. Even if you win your cases, you may not be able to escape the negative reputation and jokes from the general public.
As a lawyer, you can often choose which clients you want to represent. However, if you want to earn a steady income, you may not be able to afford this luxury. While some of your clients may be friendly and professional, this may not always be the case. There will come a time when you don't particularly like some of your clients, however, it's your job to offer them the best representation to maintain your reputation.
While the Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates an employment growth of 4% in the next decade, there's expected to be strong competition for this profession when it comes to the job market. This is because the number of recent graduates continues to exceed the job opportunities available. When there are fewer opportunities for lawyers to take advantage of, it can become stressful for legal professionals to find worthwhile positions—or any positions at all for that matter.
The rise in technology has influenced the legal landscape. To become a successful lawyer, you need to understand a wide range of technological platforms such as management tools, spreadsheets and billing software. Staying up-to-date with these technological advances can be a hassle for individuals who aren't as technologically savvy. As previously mentioned, the rise in technology can also divert clients to online legal services that can offer help at a cheaper rate.
As a lawyer, it's important to keep your knowledge of the law up-to-date and follow changes as they occur. This means you need to put in a heavy amount of research on each case to ensure you're following current legal practices and regulations. While it may not always be the case, staying up-to-date on these changes can feel overwhelming and result in long days at the office.
Analytical skills. Lawyers help their clients resolve problems and issues. As a result, they must be able to analyze large amounts of information, determine relevant facts, and propose viable solutions.
Interpersonal skills. Lawyers must win the respect and confidence of their clients by building a trusting relationship, so that clients feel comfortable and share personal information related to their case.
Problem-solving skills. Lawyers must separate their emotions and prejudice from their clients’ problems and objectively evaluate the matter. Therefore, good problem-solving skills are important for lawyers, to prepare the best defense and recommendation.
Research skills. Preparing legal advice or representation for a client commonly requires substantial research. All lawyers need to be able to find what applicable laws and regulations apply to a specific matter.
Speaking skills. Lawyers are hired by their clients to speak on their behalf. Lawyers must be able to clearly present and explain evidence to a judge and jury.
Writing skills. Lawyers need to be precise and specific when preparing documents, such as wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.
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