What is lawyers job

Most lawyers work in offices, and travel to visit clients or represent their clients in court. They generally keep full-time hours, and overtime is common. Attorneys may face heavy pressure at times. For example, during trials or when trying to meet deadlines.

It usually takes three years of law school after college to become a lawyer. Prior felony convictions may disqualify candidates from practicing law. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. The career video is in the public domain from the U. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Free Career Tests. Powered by Campus Explorer. Skip to content A lawyer gives legal advice to people, government agencies, and businesses and offer representation to them when needed.

Watch a video to learn what a lawyer does. Related Careers to Research: Paralegal. As it is based on your career achievements, it is something you have to aim towards for a long time. Banking and finance lawyers advise and negotiate on transactions, deals and loans of money between banks and companies or individuals. Work can be complex and often international. If you are a solicitor working in commercial law, your job will be to advise businesses on issues such as mergers, acquisitions, and disputes.

Criminal law covers anything from small offences to serious crimes like fraud, murder and robbery. You can be a defence lawyer in private practice. This area of law represents legal issues between individuals and government. Judicial review is something a citizen can ask for if they feel a public body has not acted within the law.

Employment law covers the relationship between employees or employers. Issues could relate to wages, safety and discrimination, and cases can be heard at tribunals or in court. This area of law covers children, family and personal relationships. Disputes handled by family law include divorce, financial settlements, child custody and adoption.

Working in intellectual property IP law involves protecting the ownership of ideas and products for individuals and businesses. This usually means drafting documents, copyrights, patents and trademarks. There are many more career opportunities in law depending on your passion and expertise.

Discover how to become a lawyer. Lawyer job profile. Student Guides. Career guides. What does a lawyer do? What can I expect from being a lawyer? Skills required to become a lawyer Beyond qualifications and training, a lawyer job description is likely to include some or all of the following: Communication and negotiation Meeting clients from different backgrounds is an everyday responsibility for a lawyer.

Public speaking Lawyers need to present evidence in court clearly and confidently, providing persuasive arguments and counter points. Analysis Reviewing sources and case studies is all part of being a lawyer. Numeracy Numerical skills are valuable as you will need to understand financial statements and account information. Logic and reasoning Laws evolve as society changes. Duties of a lawyer The day-to-day duties of a lawyer depend on your specialism and area of law you choose to work in.

Duties may include: Providing legal advice and guidance Writing contracts Meeting clients individuals or businesses Attending court hearings Reading witness statements Collating evidence and researching case studies Keeping up to date with changes in the law Representing clients in trials.

They provide advice from a legal standpoint on whether or not to agree to and sign a contract, or can help a client figure out how to combat a contract that they have already signed. Primary duties: A corporate lawyer works for a company, advising executives against business decisions that could lead to legal action and representing the company in when legal action is taken against them.

They are also responsible for using their expertise to create and edit corporate contracts to ensure they are not breaking any laws.

Primary duties: Bankruptcy paralegals assist bankruptcy lawyers in providing clients with advice on their financial situation, if they are eligible to file for bankruptcy, what type of bankruptcy would be the most helpful for them, and provide information on how to file for bankruptcy.

Primary duties: A litigation paralegal is responsible for helping trial attorneys prepare for courtroom proceedings. They draft documents, complete administrative tasks, interview witnesses and conducting additional research ahead of the trial. Primary duties: A general practice lawyer does not have a particular area of expertise and instead consults with, and defends clients on a variety of legal issues and proceedings. This type of lawyer can have specialized interests but can handle other projects as well.

Primary duties: An associate attorney is an entry-level role, usually employed at law firms. They assist in selecting juries, represent clients in court, help clients negotiate contracts or settle corporate disputes. Associate Attorneys can be employed in different types of law, including corporate, real estate, family, and copyright cases.

Primary duties: Immigration lawyers help clients who are having trouble obtaining green cards, visas or citizenship documentation. They can also be employed when there are issues with a client's current documentation or in a situation where an individual is seeking asylum from another country.

Primary duties: An intellectual property lawyer is hired to help an individual client or company on issues related to intellectual property rights and trademarks. They can consult with a client who believes someone has used their intellectual property without obtaining proper copyrights, or they can be hired to help someone who wants to use the intellectual property or trademark belonging to a company. Primary duties: A family lawyer can be employed to help clients in several family-related matters.

They are involved in defending a client in divorce proceedings, child custody battles or child support claims. Primary duties: A personal injury lawyer is responsible for helping clients who have sustained injuries, whether it be through a car accident or an injury acquired on a company's property. They plead their case to help a client get compensation for their injury.

Primary duties: A trademark paralegal works for a trademark attorney and is responsible for helping clients file claims for names and logos. They are responsible for assisting trademark attorneys in the creation of courtroom cases against an individual or company who stole a trademark from their client.

Primary duties: A litigation attorney or lawyer is hired to help in civil lawsuits, either on the side of the defendant or the plaintiff party. Their job is to guide their client through pre-, peri- and post-trial events, defending their case, setting plea deals or arranging appeals. Primary duties: An associate general counsel is a type of lawyer who represents an individual client or organization in court, advises them on potential legal actions that could result from malpractice and works with a team, usually through a law firm, to build a strong case that will be used to represent a client in the courtroom.