Naturally, the first career that comes to mind when talking about Law is a lawyer. Whether you are in private practice, a firm or working for the Government the definition of a lawyer is still the same. Lawyers are advisors and advocates in society who will represent a party in a criminal or civil trial, as well as advise and give counsel to clients to help them understand their legal rights and suggest courses of action.
You will be:
- Providing legal advice and guidance
- Writing contracts
- Meeting clients
- Attending court hearings
- Reading witness statements
- Collecting evidence and researching case studies -Keeping up to date with changes in the law
- Representing clients in trials
TYPES OF LAWYER
Types of lawyers include divorce, criminal, intellectual property and family. Solicitors and barristers are also both types of lawyers but will have completed different qualifications. We will cover them later on. Being a lawyer takes an extreme amount of hard work and dedication, as well as many more years in school. There are many hills to get over before becoming a lawyer, but with a good work ethic and passion, they shouldn’t feel too much like mountains.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM BEING A LAWYER?
Exciting cases in the courtroom, researching case studies, writing legal strategies and staying up to date with the law. A respected career with high earning potential, the law profession can be challenging but also rewarding. Hours can be very long and there’s high pressure to achieve the best results not just for your clients but for your law firm to keep the name in good circulation.
WHAT WOULD MY EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR?
- Self-confidence and resilience – It doesn’t hurt for prospecting lawyers to have a little arrogance about themselves, it’s very important to have faith and trust in your own ability as it will certainly help with clients and in court.
- Academic ability – This goes without saying, but law firms will look for candidates who can process complex information and have a wide variety of skills in their portfolio.
- Effective time management – Lawyers are very busy people. You need to be able to show your employers that they can juggle and prioritise many tasks with efficiency.
- Communication skills – It’s very important to be able to communicate effectively as well as have no fear of public speaking. As a lawyer, you will be in a courtroom defending your client and being eloquent and easy to understand as well as confident is necessary. Not only that but you want to make sure you can create a good bond of trust between you and your client.
WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF GETTING INTO THE INDUSTRY?
There is currently quite a good chance of becoming a lawyer, provided that you put in the work. I’ve said it a lot over the course of this blog- but it really is important to remember that it takes dedication. Your salary will depend on a lot of different factors, such as whether or not you work privately or for a firm. Then there are also plenty of welfare lawyers who conduct pro-bono and civil rights cases.
WHAT DO MY HOURS LOOK LIKE?
Long and demanding hours come with being a lawyer. Working hours usually range from 37 to 50 hours a week. Weekend and late-night hours may be required when preparing for a trial, but most lawyers charge clients for billable hours, so you need to keep track of the time you spend on different cases. If you do run over into the weekend, you will still be rewarded.
WHAT IS MY SALARY LIKE?
A starting salary for a lawyer in a firm or small private practice is around £25,000 and your ultimate earning potential is £40,000 a year.
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