The basic work of a lawyer involves interpreting the law and applying it to the needs of a particular case or client.
Lawyers, also called attorneys, act as both advocates and advisors in our society. As advocates, they represent one of the opposing parties in criminal and civil trials by presenting arguments that support the client in court. As advisors, lawyers counsel their clients as to their legal rights and obligations and suggest particular courses of action in business and personal matters.
Lawyers, who have a general practice, handle a variety of legal matters including making wills, settling estates, preparing property deeds, and drawing up contracts. Others specialize in criminal, corporate, labor, tax, real estate, or international law.
About four-fifths of all lawyers are in private practice, either alone or in a law firm. Business firms employ lawyers as salaried in-house counselors to handle company legal matters. The federal government employs lawyers in the Department of Justice and other regulatory agencies; state and local governments employ even more. Some lawyers teach full- or part-time in law schools.
Many people with legal training do not practice law but instead use their legal knowledge as a background for careers in financial analysis, insurance claim adjusting, tax collection, or management consulting. Others work as parole officers or law enforcement officers. Many elected public officials also have a background in law.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Lawyers are needed in every community and by businesses and government agencies throughout the country. Lawyers often work long hours and are under considerable pressure when a case is being tried. Those in private practice, however, can determine their own hours and caseloads and are usually able to work past the usual retirement age.
Lawyers do most of their work in offices, law libraries, and courtrooms. Lawyers sometimes meet in clients' homes or places of business and, when necessary, in hospitals or prisons. They frequently travel to attend meetings; to gather evidence; and to appear before courts, legislative bodies, and other authorities.
Salaried lawyers in government and private corporations generally have structured work schedules. Lawyers in private practice may work irregular hours while conducting research, conferring with clients, or preparing briefs during non-office hours. Lawyers often work long hours, and about half regularly work 50 hours or more per week. They are under particularly heavy pressure, for example, when a case is being tried. Preparation for court includes keeping abreast of the latest laws and judicial decisions.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
Assertiveness, an interest in people and ideas, the ability to inspire trust and confidence, and top-notch debating and writing skills are necessary for this field. A successful lawyer must be able to research and analyze a case and to think conceptually and logically.
High school courses that develop language and verbal skills are important. Typing, American history, civics and government, and any training in debating, public speaking, or acting will prove useful.
At least seven years of full-time study beyond high school are necessary to obtain a law degree. This study includes four years of college and three years of law school. About one-eighth of all graduates attend law school on a part-time basis, taking four years or longer to complete the work.
Although there is no specific "prelaw" college program, the best undergraduate training is one that gives the student a broad educational background while developing the writing, speaking, and thinking skills necessary for a legal career. Majors in the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities are suitable and should include courses in economics, philosophy, logic, history, and government. Good grades are very important.
Most law schools test an applicant's aptitude for the study of law by requiring the applicant to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Competition for admission to law school is intense. Although this has slowed to some extent, stiff competition for entrance into law school will remain for the foreseeable future, particularly for the more prestigious law schools.
Students should attend a law school that is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) or by an individual state. ABA approval indicates that the school meets the minimum standards of education necessary for practice in any state; state-approved law schools that lack ABA approval prepare graduates for practice in that particular state only. A few states recognize the study of law done entirely in a law office or a combination of law office and law school study. California will accept the study of law by correspondence course, if all other qualifications are met. Several states require the registration and approval of law students by the state board of law examiners before they enter law school or during the early years of legal study.
The first part of law school is devoted to the study of fundamental courses such as constitutional law, contracts, property law, and judicial procedure. Specialized courses in such fields as tax, labor, or corporate law are also offered. The second part of law school consists of practical training through participation in school-sponsored legal aid activities, courtroom practice in the school's practice court under the supervision of experienced lawyers, and through writing on legal issues for the school's law journal.
Upon successful completion of law school, graduates usually receive the degree of doctor of laws or bachelor of laws. Those who intend to teach, do research, or specialize usually continue with advanced study.
The practice of law involves a great deal of responsibility. Persons planning careers in law should like to work with people and be able to win the respect and confidence of their clients, associates, and the public. Integrity and honesty are vital personal qualities. Perseverance and reasoning ability are essential to analyze complex cases and reach sound conclusions. Lawyers also need creativity when handling new and unique legal problems.
All states require a lawyer to be admitted to the state bar before practicing law. Requirements include a written examination, at least three years of college, and graduation from an ABA or state-approved law school.
Potential and Advancement
A majority of the lawyers practice privately, either in law firms or in solo practices. Most of the remaining lawyers hold positions in government, the majority at the local level. In the Federal Government, lawyers are concentrated in the Departments of Justice, Treasury, and Defense, but they work for other Federal agencies as well. Other lawyers are employed as house counsel by public utilities, banks, insurance companies, real estate agencies, manufacturing firms, welfare and religious organizations, and other business firms and nonprofit organizations. Some salaried lawyers also have part-time independent practices; others work as lawyers part time while working full time in another occupation.
Many people trained as lawyers are not employed as lawyers or judges; they work as law clerks, law school professors, managers and administrators, and in a variety of other occupations.
While the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts steady growth of 6%, a rapid increase in the number of law school graduates in recent years has created keen competition for available jobs. This situation will probably continue. Graduates of prestigious law schools and those who rank high in their graduating class will have the best chance of securing salaried positions with law firms, corporations, and government agencies and as law clerks (research assistants) for judges. Lawyers who wish to establish a new practice will find the best opportunities in small towns and in expanding suburban areas.
Lawyers advance from positions as law clerks to experienced lawyers through progressively more responsible work. Many establish their own practice. After years of experience, some lawyers become judges.
Income
Lawyers who establish their own practice usually earn little more than expenses during the first few years, but their income increases rapidly as the practice develops. Private practitioners who are partners in a law firm generally earn more than those who practice alone. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary of all lawyers in 2015 was $115,820.
Related Jobs
Legal training is useful in many other occupations. These include legal assistant, arbitrator, journalist, patent agent, title examiner, legislative assistant, lobbyist, FBI special agent, political office holder, and corporate executive.
