A corporate attorney, as the name suggests, is a lawyer who represents companies or corporate bodies in legal matters. The competent corporate attorney has a deep understanding of all the laws, regulations, and policies relating to the operations of companies and corporations.
Nature of the Job
The main function of a corporate attorney is to ensure that the activities of the organization or corporation he represents are in line with governmental rules, regulations, statutes, and policies. In addition, the corporate attorney gives legal advice to the given company’s management on the ways to go about complying with the laws of the land. A corporate attorney is frequently involved in the drafting of legal documents, especially when the organization he is representing is engaged in some transaction that requires documentation. The corporate attorney is also involved in representing the corporation in legal matters, especially when the corporation has been sued or wishes to sue another organization and or an individual. The other duties of a corporate attorney depend greatly on where he is working. A corporate lawyer working in a law firm as opposed to work for a company may have slightly different duties than an in-house counsel.
Unlike other subdivisions of the law — especially criminal and civil law — wherein the attorneys for opposing sides are known to be more adversarial than inquisitive, in corporate law, the atmosphere is more collegial. In corporate law, the attorneys for both sides of a case are seen more as facilitators than opponents. The major concern is to simply lay all the facts on the table as opposed to battling it out.
Skills and Attributes of a Corporate Lawyer
Besides having a background in legal studies, it is also a requirement that a corporate attorney have a sharp mind and memory. He must also be incisive, inquisitive, and eloquent, both in spoken and written communications.
Work Conditions
Corporate attorney jobs almost invariably involve a lot of work. Besides a lot of research, there is a lot of writing and asking of questions. Corporate attorney jobs often entail working overtime and on weekends. Self-discipline, then, is paramount in this profession. One must be able to extend one’s own hours as necessary in order to get the job done. Great dedication, commitment, and patience are the key virtues in this particular career field.
Earnings and Remuneration
Corporate attorneys, like virtually all other attorneys, are well paid for their work. As strange as it may sound, the law school that one attends affects to a great extent one’s opportunities to secure a job. Equally, the size of the firm that one works for largely determines the salary that one is likely to get.
Conclusion
The jobs carried out by corporate attorneys are very instrumental, as they ensure that a company or organization’s operations adhere to the laws of the land, thus ensuring that the company can get on with the primary aim of turning a profit.
