What are the Benefits of Working in Civil Litigation?
It can take some time to decide what you want to do after university. Indeed, you have a lot of options when you are a law student. It is important not to rush into a decision and consider all of your options. For example, if you are considering working in civil litigation, you should think about all the benefits this career has to offer. Here are some of them.
Every Case is Different
A lot of people think that working in law can be boring. But the good thing about a career in civil litigation is that every case you deal with is going to be different. Of course, you will follow the same type of process for each case. But two clients and their problems are never going to be the same. You can use your investigative skills to find out what has happened and how it can be dealt with. This can be challenging and exciting, keeping everything interesting on a day-to-day basis.
Helping People is Rewarding
One of the reasons that people want to begin a career in law is to help other people. Indeed, this is something that you can do every day with civil litigation. You are a professional to a client and they come to you for advice and help. They look up to you and regard your opinion as important. You become someone that they trust and you can develop close relationships with clients. A lot of civil litigators find this a rewarding process that allows them to feel good about their job.
The Salary is Good
After years of education, as a law student, you want to know that you can expect a good salary. The good news is that this can be enjoyed when you are specializing in civil litigation. You can expect a generous salary that is going to provide you with a high standard of living. In addition, there is even the opportunity to earn bonuses depending on the law firm you work for.
You Have a lot of Duties
One thing’s for sure, you are going to have a busy and different day when you work as a civil litigator. You have a lot of duties and this means that there is going to be no day that is boring for you. From taking part in pleadings and discovery requests to completing legal documents and advising clients. Every workday is going to be varied and never the same.
Not Affected by Economic Downturns
When there is an economic downturn, everybody is worried about their job. But what makes being a civil litigator so great is that a recession is not going to affect you. In fact, more people and organizations look to solve civil wrongs when they want to cover their financial losses. Thus, you should never run out of cases to deal with and there will be a demand for your skills. So, whether it is personal injury or commercial litigation, you should still have plenty of work to do when other jobs are affected.
You Can Work Independently
One thing that a lot of professionals in civil litigation like is that you can work independently. Since your duties deal with everything to do with a case, you will be left to your own devices and are able to develop your skills. A lot of legal professionals like this and it means that you can grow. It can be rewarding to work on the start of a case right through until the end.
Gain Courtroom Experience
There are a lot of law students that assume when they graduate with their degree, they will work in the courtroom. However, there are many legal roles where this is simply not true. Instead, you can be confined to an office environment. However, when you take your first job in civil litigation, you are going to be able to enjoy gaining courtroom experience. For example, you will not only be advising clients, but you will also be representing them in the courtroom. Of course, this can be challenging and competitive but this may be something that you enjoy and thrive on.
Develop Transferable Skills
When you work in litigation, you are going to develop a lot of valuable skills and legal experience. This means that if you ever decide to change your career path, you are going to have transferable skills that are desirable to other employers. For example, you will develop excellent written and verbal communication skills. In addition, you will do a lot of research and analysis that can be used in another job, as well as know how to work in a fast-paced environment and be good at time management.
Follow Your Passions
If you want to work in law, you probably have a passion for justice or helping other people. Certainly, this is something that you can do in civil litigation. When you work in this legal sector, you can follow your passions and feel satisfied with your career. You are able to help your community every day and feel a strong sense of happiness and satisfaction that you are doing the right thing. You can be an important part of the judicial process.
What are Some Things I Should Remember about Working in Civil Litigation?
As you have read, there are many advantages to enjoy when you work in civil litigation. But, as with any legal job, there are going to be some disadvantages and things you should be aware of. So, let’s take a look at them so that you can gain the whole picture.
It Can be Demanding
You take on a lot of hard work and responsibilities when you become a civil litigator. This means that you can expect to work in a demanding environment where somebody always needs your help. You may find that you do not have a lot of downtime on the job and there will be something you always have to do. While some people thrive in a demanding environment, others are not prepared for the testing and tough tasks they have to do deal with every day.
You can Be Stressed
A lot of lawyer’s experience stress in their everyday lives. This is the same for those that work in civil litigation. Again, with a fast-paced environment and a lot of demanding work, this can cause stress and anxiety. You can feel under pressure and that your every action is put under the spotlight. Some people are able to deal with this. However, for others, this stress can have a real negative effect on their mental health. Before having a career in civil litigation, you need to consider whether you are going to be able to deal with the workload and pressures you are going to be under. The last thing you want is for your health to suffer.
There are Long Hours
If you know somebody that works in law, you may be aware of how many hours a week they have to work. Indeed, you will know that they work long hours and this is often without getting paid for the overtime. It can be a case of working for client’s past normal hours because there is so much to do. This is often the reality for those that work in civil litigation too. Thus, you have to be prepared to work long hours during the week in order to help your clients. This can mean that you get little sleep.
Not Every Client Will Be Thankful
Most of the time, you are going to work with clients that are very thankful for your legal services. They will personally thank you and interactions will be a pleasant experience. However, this is not going to be the case with some people. You have to be prepared for clients that are demanding and difficult to deal with. While this should not change your work ethic or duties, it can make you feel like you are underappreciated and that your efforts are not being recognized.
You Can Lose Cases
Unfortunately, the reality is that when you work in litigation, you are not going to be able to win every case. This is something that you have to be prepared for. There are some professionals that can deal with cases for years and you can become emotionally invested in them. This means that it can be a devastating blow when you lose a case. It can be difficult to deal with and this is one of the downsides of being a civil litigator. You can work very hard on a case and it is not meant to be.
