Firms' and Organizational Environments
As in any other profession, legal professionals may expect to encounter employers that foster secretive or territorial environments. Every law firm has its own character and philosophy. Although most attorneys are honest and professional, there are those that prompt numerous derogatory jokes about the profession, comparing attorneys to a variety of cold-blooded creatures. Remember: The legal profession is an adversarial one and generally a win/lose situation.
However, legal professionals should avoid becoming entangled with any firms or organizations that may arouse suspicion that the jokes are well founded. Legal professionals should feel that they fit into an office situation with their integrity intact.
A well-established base of principles upon which to assess employers and govern responses will help you select the right employer, and leave if an employer is not right. Expect to take constructive criticism without argument and deference, especially when learning a new trade. After one year at a firm or organization, as a legal professional you should feel more confident with increased self-respect in your position. If not, you should seek a more appropriate employment match. Becoming a legal professional is an investment that will strengthen your character, resolve, and tenacity.
Salaries
Starting salaries are higher for entry-level legal professionals than for any other profession that is available without a college degree. Many experienced legal personnel can earn substantial incomes after four years' experience, and after five years' experience, legal professionals can probably gross more than many new attorneys and college graduates, without the educational debt. Many legal professionals can generate very high Incomes if they have the know-how and courage to start their own businesses.
Code of Conduct
Clients hire law firms to protect themselves from others. Attorneys are bound by their own code, which details professional responsibility as sentinels and officers of the judicial system. This code protects the public, instills confidence in the judicial system, and maintains the integrity of the judiciary. All legal professionals should adhere to the code as well as to any other code of conduct applicable to their profession, and expect their employers and employees to do so as well. The legal field embraces those legal professionals who wish to bring honor to the profession. Ethical and honest legal professionals enhance the public’s perception of the judiciary and attorneys. Unfortunately, as in most professions, the bad apples tend to receive more publicity than the good ones. Legal professionals can bring honor to the profession by following the code of conduct for attorneys and acting according to a higher moral standard than the law is able to mandate.
Professional Expectations
Professionally, you may expect that your performance will be constantly scrutinized by attorneys, clients, fellow staff members, and others. Every day, your performance will be reevaluated and assessed. This means that the work product is expected to be letter-perfect before you submit it to supervisors or others. Letter-perfect work product is the result, in part, of following directions, good organization, and thorough review of documents-a lost or missed piece of paper can cost you your job. You should have either a competitive mind-set or be able to deal effectively with competitive people. To constantly measure up to performance standards, you should work hard, avoid gossip, concentrate on multiple paper-intensive tasks, prioritize and manage workloads to reduce stress, and communicate effectively. Through the constant scrutiny legal professionals endure, you may expect your intellectual capabilities to increase, communication skills to improve, and your focus on problem resolution to narrow. These improved abilities will lead to an increase in self-esteem and confidence along with enhanced cognitive abilities.
Overall, you may expect a legal career to provide you with the opportunities to help people in crisis situations; meet many intelligent, eccentric, or fascinating people; increase cognitive abilities; and develop tenacity, resolve, and integrity. But be aware that you should expect to hurdle the obstacles in front of these growth opportunities.
A Few Key Points to Remember
- Learn how to control your emotions and maintain professionalism and integrity.
- Be prepared to handle stress from heavy workloads and difficult people by developing nerves of steel, patience, perseverance, diligence, organization, and effective conflict resolution and communication skills.
- Prepare yourself intellectually and mentally as thoroughly as possible for your career in law.
- Adhere to the attorney's code of professional responsibility and that of your particular professional area.
- Legal professionals, on the average, earn more than other professionals who work without a college degree.
