The Advantages of Becoming a Lawyer

Whether you are buying something or just taking a walk, every part of our lives is governed by the legal system in some way. Because of that, a lawyer is necessary to help us interpret these laws that govern every part of our every day lives.

What exactly does a lawyer do? They can both advise their clients in monetary, marital, business, and other daily activities and represent both clients and criminals in court. How much time one spends in the business depends on what their specialization is. A trial attorney will spend lots of time in court and researching, while a corporate one will spend more time in an office studying the law, patents, contracts, and advising their employers on legal issues. The majority of legal professionals practice privately and many are employed by a government agency, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Some are even elected, such as a state's attorney.

How do you become a lawyer? To become one you will need to have a undergraduate degree from a four year university, followed by three years of law school, after which you will need to take the bar examination. There are many requirements that vary by which ever state you reside in. Admission to the best law schools in the United States can be very competitive. If you plan on becoming one, you need to be able to articulate both in writing and speaking as well as logical thinking. Required courses include English, one or more foreign language, public speaking, government, and of course law courses that are related to the area of law that you are studying. Some law schools require you to do clinicals so that you can get experience in court under the supervision of licensed attorneys and professors at the university.

After you have gone through school and taken the bar exam, you will need to pursue your law license. Often this requires an ethics exam that is separate from the bar exam. Because there are often new laws, continuing education courses are often required for you to keep your license up to date so that you can continue practicing in your state. Even though there are more law jobs opening up in the near future, there will be competition for those jobs due to the high numbers of law school graduates each year.

A lawyer can expect to be paid in relationship to his training and experience. Salaries usually start at around $68,000 and are upwards around $150,000 or more per year, so it is one of the more lucrative occupations, depending on your law specialty.

If you are looking for a job as a legal professional, the job outlook is very bright. This is due to growth in both population and business as more legal professionals will be needed to advise in civil issues, legal disputes, new businesses, bankruptcy, and relationship issues than ever before.