Starting A Career In Law
There are many different legal career opportunities available to both men and women; college graduates and high school graduates
. Among the vast array of career options are a lawyer and a paralegal.
A lawyer is an individual licensed by the state to engage in the practice of law and give advice to clients on judicial matters. They act as both advocates and advisors on behalf of their clients.
As advocates, they represent either the plaintiff or the defendant. The plaintiff is the individual or group who filed the lawsuit, while the defendant is the individual or group defending the lawsuit.
Attorneys advance the case of their client through oral argument and written documents such as motions and briefs. As advisors, they counsel people on how the facts of their particular case apply to the law.
Attorneys' roles vary greatly, depending upon their practice environment and field of specialization. One specialty is a litigation attorney, or a trial attorney.
These represent clients regarding judicial disputes which are resolved through a lawsuit, mediation, or negotiated settlement. Daily responsibilities include interviewing, rendering judicial advice, performing legal research, taking depositions, attending site inspections, arguing motions before a judge, and drafting judicial documents.
Legal documents include pleadings, discovery, motions and briefs. Corporate attorneys, also known as transactional lawyers, advise people in connection with a transaction.
They structure and negotiate business transactions, perform due diligence, draft transactional documents, counsel clients, prepare and submit materials to governmental bodies, perform judicial research, supervise closings, and draft a variety of legal documents. Legal documents include contracts, resolutions, judicial opinions, and escrow trust agreements.
Corporate lawyers work on "deals" rather than "cases" and advocate in board rooms rather than courtrooms. Attorneys complete a minimum of seven years' post-high school education in order to become qualified to practice law.
This education includes a four-year undergraduate degree and three or four years of law school. Individuals must also pass a bar examination for each state in which they wish to practice as well as an ethics examination in most states.
While attorneys are a diverse group with different backgrounds and personalities, a number of skills are common to most successful lawyers. A few of these skills are exceptional oral and written communication skills, strong analytical skills, the ability to simultaneously balance multiple tasks, leadership skills, the ability to empathize with a client's situation, and a strong work ethic.
Lawyers must also follow strict ethical guidelines and confidentiality rules. Lawyers also work in private industry, the government, judiciary, education, and public interest organizations.
Paralegals, also known as judicial assistants, are individuals trained to assist attorneys in the delivery of legal services. They typically work in law firms, corporations, the government, and other practice environments.
They operate under the supervision of a lawyer. Paralegals cannot give judicial advice, represent a client in court, establish legal fees, or sign documents filed with the court.
They assist attorneys in resolving lawsuits. Their responsibilities include investigating the facts of a case, interviewing clients and witnesses, performing judicial research, and drafting written documents.
These written documents include pleadings, deposition notices, subpoenas, motions, briefs, discovery, and other legal documents. They also organize and manage files, documents, and exhibits.
Their position also includes filing documents with federal and state courts, and assisting at hearings, arbitrations, mediations, administrative proceedings, closings, and trials. Although some paralegals possess no formal training, they generally possess a 2-year associate's degree, 4-year bachelor's degree, and/or certificate.
Many paralegals are enhancing their professional status through certification. Most certification bodies require a paralegal to pass an examination and possess at least one year of experience in the field.
Paralegals must have a solid knowledge of legal terminology, federal and state rules of judicial procedure, and substantive law. They must have excellent organizational skills in order to manage voluminous case files and exhibits for each case.
Communication skills are crucial since these individuals interact regularly with clients, experts, vendors, court personnel, and other attorneys. Strong research and writing skills are also necessary in drafting pleadings, discovery, research memorandums, correspondence, and other documents.
Factors contributing to growth in the field include job attrition and a healthy judicial market. Due to rising legal fees, more clients are demanding the use of paralegals over high-priced attorneys when possible.
by: Tom Selwick
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