A lawyer, also known as an “attorney” or “counselor” is an individual licensed by the state to engage in the practice of law and advise clients on legal matters.

Lawyers act as both advocates and advisors on behalf of their clients by representing either the plaintiff (the party filing the lawsuit) or the defendant (the party defending the lawsuit), advancing their client’s.  As advisors, lawyers counsel clients on how the facts of their particular case apply to the law.

The role of a Lawyer varies greatly, depending upon where they practice and their specific field of specialization.
Litigation attorneys/Trial attorneys represent clients regarding legal disputes which are resolved through a lawsuit, mediation or negotiated settlement.

Daily responsibilities include:

Interviewing clients.

Rendering legal advice.

Performing legal research.

Taking depositions.

Attending site inspections.

Arguing motions before a judge.

Drafting legal documents including pleadings, discovery, motions and briefs.

Corporate attorneys/Transactional lawyers, advise clients in connection with a business transaction.  Corporate lawyers work on “deals” rather than “cases” and advocate in board rooms rather than courtrooms.

Daily responsibilities include:

Structuring and negotiating business transactions.

Drafting transactional documents.

Counseling clients, preparing and submitting materials to governmental bodies.

Performing legal research.

Supervising closings and draft a variety of legal documents including contracts, resolutions, legal opinions and escrow trust agreements.

Lawyers complete a minimum of seven years’ post-high school education in order to become qualified to practice law.
This education includes a four-year undergraduate degree and three years of law school (or four years in a part-time law school program). Lawyers must also pass a bar examination for each state in which they wish to practice as well as an ethics examination in most states.

Compensation varies greatly depending on a lawyer’s practice setting, geographic location, demand for that specialty, the state of the legal job market and practice.  The typical salary range is $60,000 - $180,000.

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