What It's Like To Be a Lawyer

Clarence Darrow, F. Lee Bailey, Johnny Cochran, and the fictional Perry Mason are all well-known lawyers. No country in the world pays more attention to lawyers or has as many lawyers as the United States. As long as individuals have disputes with each other, companies, or the government, or break laws, there will be a need for lawyers. Lawyers are also known as attorneys, advocates, barristers, counsel, counselors, or solicitors.

As a lawyer, you will play two roles. At times you will be in court presenting evidence that supports your client in either a criminal or civil trial. At other times, you will be an advisor counseling your client as to his or her legal rights and obligations. This involves suggesting particular courses of action when a client wants to do such things as buy property or write a will. In both roles, you will need to interpret the law and apply it to the specific situation. You may work primarily in court or do most of your work outside of court. Your clients can be individuals, companies, or governmental bodies.


Let's find out what happens on the job

Research will play an important role in your work as you will need to research the laws and judicial decisions that relate to each case and then discuss this information with your client. Then you will advise the client what can or should be done and follow through with the appropriate action. This can involve such things as going to court, drawing up documents, negotiating contracts, and doing more research.

The pleasures and pressures of the job

Lawyers enjoy their work because they are helping people every day. It is always a special moment for a lawyer when a case is won in the courtroom and a client's rights are upheld. There is also a satisfaction in doing free or nearly free legal work for those who need but cannot afford this help.

One of the greatest pressures of being a lawyer is that you spend so much time in battle with difficult clients, opposing attorneys, and judges. Also, lawyers often work long hours. About half of all lawyers work more than 50 hours a week. They are under particularly heavy pressure when a case is being tried.

The rewards, the pay, and the perks

Not all new lawyers earn the same amount of money. Beginning lawyers in private industry average close to $40,000, while those working for the federal government will typically start with lower salaries. A top graduate working at one of the nation's largest law firms could start at a salary of more than $80,000, while lawyers who start their own practices may need to work part time in other occupations during the first years to supplement their income.

The salaries of experienced lawyers vary widely, with the most successful in private industry earning more than $100,000 a year.

It takes a long time to become a lawyer. You will typically need seven years of full-time study after high school-four years of college followed by three years of law school. In order to be admitted to a law school, you should have good college grades as well as a good score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) to show that you have an aptitude for law.

During the first half of law school, students usually study fundamental courses such as constitutional law, contracts, civil procedure, and legal writing. Then in the remaining time they can choose to take specialized courses in areas such as tax, labor, or corporation law.

The final step in becoming a lawyer is becoming licensed in the state where you wish to practice. This means passing a written state bar examination.

Climbing the career ladder

Talented lawyers with outstanding ability can expect to be very successful in this profession. Most beginning lawyers start by acting as research assistants to experienced lawyers. As they prove themselves, they begin to climb the career ladder. They may become junior partners and then advance to senior partner in a law firm. Some will go into practice for themselves. In the corporate world, lawyers can advance to head the firm's legal department or transfer to other departments to rise up the management ladder. A few lawyers become full-time law school professors or administrators, and some enter politics to become mayors, governors, members of Congress, judges, or other political figures.

Things you can do to get a head start

While you are in school, you can begin to pick up some of the essential skills needed to succeed in law school and as a lawyer. You need to become very proficient in writing, reading and analyzing, thinking logically, and communicating verbally. Courses in English, public speaking, government, history, mathematics, and computer science are useful. If you can, join the debate team and also participate in theatrical productions.

The first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States is Sandra Day O'Connor. She grew up on her family's large ranch in Arizona and attended Stanford University, where she also graduated from law school. After several years in private practice, she became an assistant attorney general in Arizona. She entered politics as a member of the Arizona Senate and then served as a judge on a Superior Court and the Arizona Court of Appeals before being appointed to her current position on the Supreme Court by Ronald Reagan.

Other specialized fields for lawyers include bankruptcy, insurance, international, maritime, patent, real estate, and securities law. There is also the possibility of teaching in a law school, working for government agencies and legal aid societies, entering politics, or serving as a judge.

Find out more about legal education

To find out detailed information on legal education, contact the ABA: American Bar Association 750 North Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60611 www.abanet.org

Information on the LSAT, applying to law school, and financial aid for law students may be obtained from: Law School Admission Council P.O. Box 40 Newtown, PA 18940