Job Description
A lawyer's work varies depending on what kind of law she specializes in. Criminal law, family law, employment law and property law are just a few of the different areas lawyers work in.
Most of the work of a lawyer involves four main activities: meeting with clients, doing legal research, providing legal advice and representing clients.
There are lawyers just about everywhere doing a wide range of interesting work. Lawyers work in law firms, big and small. Other lawyers work “in-house” in a company or organization, handling all of the company’s or organization’s legal issues. Legal Aid lawyers are a kind of lawyer hired by the government to give free or low-cost legal advice. Sometimes these lawyers work in community legal clinics. There are also other places you find lawyers: at universities as professors, in government and politics, in the world of performing arts or communications, and overseas, working for international organizations like the United Nations and the International Criminal Court.
Most of the work of a lawyer involves four main activities: meeting with clients, doing legal research, providing legal advice and representing clients.
Meeting with Clients
A lawyer meets with each new client to better understand the client’s situation and to figure out what legal issues are related to the case. Sometimes the legal issues are not always clear to the client, so it is up to the lawyer to ask the right questions to get the facts straight and see what is really going on.
During a meeting, a lawyer will also try to understand what is most important for the client and what the client hopes will happen. The lawyer takes notes and puts all of the client's information into a file for future reference.
For example, Lucy recently had a pool built in her backyard. It took months to complete and the final touches on the pool were completed while she was out of the city. She arrived home looking forward to testing it out. Much to her surprise, when she went to jump in the pool it was only half full and it seemed to be leaking all over the lawn! The builder has been ignoring her calls for weeks. She went to see a lawyer who asked her questions about who built the pool, what the agreement was and what she would like to do.
During a meeting, a lawyer will also try to understand what is most important for the client and what the client hopes will happen. The lawyer takes notes and puts all of the client's information into a file for future reference.
For example, Lucy recently had a pool built in her backyard. It took months to complete and the final touches on the pool were completed while she was out of the city. She arrived home looking forward to testing it out. Much to her surprise, when she went to jump in the pool it was only half full and it seemed to be leaking all over the lawn! The builder has been ignoring her calls for weeks. She went to see a lawyer who asked her questions about who built the pool, what the agreement was and what she would like to do.
Doing Legal Research
A lawyer does legal research to find out what options her client has. Legal research involves reading laws, summaries of cases and books about the law. Research helps the lawyer create a strategy to resolve the client’s issues. Research is also required to make sure the lawyer gathers the right kind of evidence and creates legal arguments that will be successful if the client chooses to take the case forward or go to court.
To help Lucy, her lawyer researches what the law says about agreements that have gone wrong. The lawyer will also look for specific cases about pools that have been badly built to see what the court has said in similar cases.
To help Lucy, her lawyer researches what the law says about agreements that have gone wrong. The lawyer will also look for specific cases about pools that have been badly built to see what the court has said in similar cases.
Providing Legal Advice
Once a lawyer has completed legal research and figured out her client’s options, she meets with the client again to talk about the various possibilities and explain whether there is a good chance of winning or losing the case. The client can then make an informed decision about what to do. Even though the lawyer is the legal expert and offers legal advice, the client makes the ultimate decision about what to do.
In Lucy’s situation, her lawyer presents her with several options and advises her on the possible outcomes of starting a case against the builder. Lucy then decides what to do.
In Lucy’s situation, her lawyer presents her with several options and advises her on the possible outcomes of starting a case against the builder. Lucy then decides what to do.
Representing Clients
Where do lawyers work?
Clients often ask a lawyer to represent them in and out of court. This means that the lawyer acts like a spokesperson, speaking for the client with other lawyers, other parties and before judges or a jury.The lawyer takes care of all the legal aspects of the client’s file, making sure that all the necessary forms are filled out and mailed to the court on time. The lawyer also presents evidence to the court and argues her client's case.
Not all cases end up in court. A lawyer can represent a client in negotiating meetings outside court. At these meetings, lawyers try to agree on all legal issues without going to court.
Lawyers also write legal documents, such as letters, contracts and court documents, which are sent to the other parties on behalf of their clients.
As a first step, Lucy's lawyer offers to write a letter to the builder concerning her case. Sometimes a firm letter is enough to get people to cooperate when agreements have gone wrong.
Not all cases end up in court. A lawyer can represent a client in negotiating meetings outside court. At these meetings, lawyers try to agree on all legal issues without going to court.
Lawyers also write legal documents, such as letters, contracts and court documents, which are sent to the other parties on behalf of their clients.
As a first step, Lucy's lawyer offers to write a letter to the builder concerning her case. Sometimes a firm letter is enough to get people to cooperate when agreements have gone wrong.
There are lawyers just about everywhere doing a wide range of interesting work. Lawyers work in law firms, big and small. Other lawyers work “in-house” in a company or organization, handling all of the company’s or organization’s legal issues. Legal Aid lawyers are a kind of lawyer hired by the government to give free or low-cost legal advice. Sometimes these lawyers work in community legal clinics. There are also other places you find lawyers: at universities as professors, in government and politics, in the world of performing arts or communications, and overseas, working for international organizations like the United Nations and the International Criminal Court.
