why being a lawyer is awesome

by Madaline Kiehn 7 min read

A career as a lawyer has been a hallmark of prestige for generations. Impressive degrees and a certain authority over others have placed lawyers in an elite circle of professionals who command respect and embody the definition of success. Lawyers enjoy a unique professional status and an often glamorous image perpetuated by the media.

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Why do you want to be a lawyer?

 · Working as a lawyer is one of the most intellectually rewarding jobs on the planet. From helping to patent a trade secret, or devising a trial strategy, to forming a multi-million dollar merger, lawyers are problem-solvers, analysts, and innovative thinkers whose intellect is crucial to career success. Diverse Practice Areas

Is being a lawyer worth it?

 · The popular TV series, “If being a lawyer is as awesome as it looks on Suits” portrays a world of glamorous characters in the series. The real life of a lawyer, as opined by Kim Wright is a battle of wits and strategy. While Kristi Bergeron states, it is nothing like it looks on television. It’s 99% filing paperwork and tedious telephone negotiations.

How can lawyers improve their own well-being?

Being a lawyer has multifarious facets to it. You don't always end up winning. But since this is a tv series, I don't believe they had much option than to emphasize on the more 'awesome' perks of being a lawyer. The show wouldn't have garnered so much attention otherwise.

What's the worst thing about being a lawyer?

"Ignorance of the law excuses no man -- from practicing it." - Addison Mizner "A lawsuit is a fruit tree planted in a lawyer's garden. - Italian Proverb; Next to the confrontation between two highly honed batteries of lawyers, jungle warfare is a stately minuet.” - Bill Veeck, Major League Baseball Franchise Owner

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Why is being a lawyer so interesting?

Working as a lawyer is one of the most intellectually rewarding jobs on the planet. From helping to patent a trade secret, or devising a trial strategy, to forming a multi-million dollar merger, lawyers are problem-solvers, analysts, and innovative thinkers whose intellect is crucial to career success.

Is being a lawyer Great?

A job with a low stress level, good work-life balance and solid prospects to improve, get promoted and earn a higher salary would make many employees happy. Here's how Lawyers job satisfaction is rated in terms of upward mobility, stress level and flexibility.

What are 3 interesting facts about being a lawyer?

Here are some fun facts about lawyers that can reinforce your interest in the career all over again:There is a difference between a lawyer and an attorney. ... Lawyering can trace its origin way back. ... Ancient Rome is the birth place of the first bar. ... The first law school existed in 450 BC.More items...•

Is being a lawyer a happy job?

Lawyers are one of the least happy careers in the United States. At CareerExplorer, we conduct an ongoing survey with millions of people and ask them how satisfied they are with their careers. As it turns out, lawyers rate their career happiness 2.6 out of 5 stars which puts them in the bottom 7% of careers.

Is being a lawyer rewarding?

Financial Rewards and Emotional Rewards Lawyers have the opportunity to earn a lucrative income. The average annual income for an attorney in the United States is $114,970 per year as of 2014 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. The highest 10% of attorneys earned more than $187,200 per year.

What are the pros and cons of being a lawyer?

Top 10 Being a Lawyer Pros & Cons – Summary ListBeing a Lawyer ProsBeing a Lawyer ConsLawyers can earn really good moneyLawyers often work long hoursBeing a lawyer implies excellent career optionsStress can be enormousLawyers can work in many different jobsBeing a lawyer may affect your family life7 more rows

What skills do you need to be a lawyer?

Examples of lawyer skillsAnalytical and research skills. Lawyers rely heavily on their ability to perform deep research into topics related to cases they work on. ... Attention to detail. ... Organizational skills. ... Time management. ... Persuasive communication. ... Written communication skills. ... Interpersonal skills. ... Technical skills.More items...•

What kind of lawyer makes the most money?

Types of Lawyers That Make the Most MoneyTax attorney (tax law): $122,000;Corporate lawyer: $118,000;Employment lawyer: $88,000;Real estate attorney: $87,000;Divorce attorney: $86,000;Immigration attorney: $85,000;Estate attorney: $84,000;Public defender: $66,000.More items...

What does it mean to be a lawyer?

Being a lawyer means being a writer. Just when you thought those law school papers were done, that's not quite the case. "I'm a litigator, which can be a bit like writing a term paper every night for the rest of your life," Devereux says.

What are the common problems lawyers face?

Burnout, stress, and depression are incredibly common among lawyers. Make sure you take advantage of mental health days, vacation days, and sick days, and if you're truly struggling (or your colleagues are), consult a mental health practitioner. 15. You probably won't be rich.

Do lawyers spend time in court?

You probably won't spend much time in court. All the movies that show lawyers only working when they're in court are not at all accurate. " In fact, you might never see a courtroom," Devereux says. You'll probably be spending a lot of time alone, in an office, researching cases, and processing paperwork.

Can you work remotely with copyright clients?

And it may allow you to move around or work remotely. "Because trademarks and copyrights are regulated by a federal agency, you can work with trademark and copyright clients from any state. This gives you lots of flexibility if you don’t want to be stuck in the state in which you are barred," says Rodgers. 6.

Who developed the bar exam?

" Here’s the thing. The bar exam—like most academic exams in our country—was first developed by white, affluent, powerful men (a.k.a. the patriarchy) who very much wanted to retain their power," Rodgers says. While the exam and its policies have changed slightly over the years, it's still going to be a challenge to pass.

Can you make a partner?

It's not easy to make partner (or become a part-owner of a firm instead of an employee), even if you're a top performer. "In my experience, most people I worked with did not make partner," Jamie says. Often, it's worth it to leave and go to another firm to get to that level, she admits.

Does law school teach you how to practice law?

" Law school doesn't really teach you how to practice law," Devereux says. It turns out, you have a lot left to learn. "In the beginning, it may seem like nearly every time you are assigned a task, it's something that you've never done before," she adds. But don't worry, eventually, with more practice (pun intended) you'll get the hang of the skill set and type of law you're practicing. "The anxiety should subside after a couple of years when you've developed a decent base of skills," Devereux says.

Why is it important to be a lawyer?

For you to be a successful lawyer enjoying a well-argued discussion with people is a good one, because this shows you are on the right track. This is one of the major characteristics a good lawyer must possess to success in the profession ; as a professional, you are expected to devote part your day to exposing certain fact related to your arguments for the benefit of your client.

What is the skill of a good lawyer?

Persuasion is another skill a good lawyer must possess. Being able to develop this skill can make a difference not only when presenting the case, but also to “convince” the court about your client’s position So, if you are considering to be a good lawyer, you’d better start training your persuasiveness. 3.

What is the virtue of a lawyer?

Persistence is synonymous to this profession and is another great virtue of a good lawyer; as a lawyer is never allowed to surrender. A successful lawyer must be willing to fight to the end to achieve your goals. As we know, all know failure is inevitable, but you will have to be prepared to stand up as many times you fall.

What is the best way to be a lawyer?

Every lawyer must be ready to work with agility to face and overcome any obstacles necessary to achieve his/her objectives. Possessing all these great qualities will make you stand out unique amongst your colleagues. So, take the time to develop yourself and make a different in your society. Advertising.

Why is negotiation important in law?

It is important to have a bargaining skill that will allow you to reach good deals before falling into more cumbersome procedures.

Why do attorneys need to be social?

Sociability enables attorneys to gain more clients, make valuable contacts within their practice field, and while somewhat paradoxically, argue effectively.

What are the personality traits of an attorney?

The Top Seven Personality Traits of the Best Lawyers: Seven Qualities Every Great Attorney Should Have 1 Many attorneys are cast in a negative light. 2 Their aggressive and argumentative personalities take much of the negative blame. 3 But that same aggressiveness and argumentativeness can be welcome. 4 In fact, as a client, those personality traits can easily play to the strengths of your legal case.

Why do attorneys huddle under umbrellas?

All that seems to be said of attorneys collectively huddles beneath a large legal umbrella to fend off the insinuations and insults that constantly rain down on the legal profession as a whole. Other attorneys, of course, are much more fearless and choose to not duck and hide from the maelstrom of meanness thrown at them like rocks thrown at the town’s offering in Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery.

What is the backbone of an attorney?

Resilience is the backbone to an attorney’s personality traits. The ability to fight off adversarial circumstances, people and even laws keep an attorney on the case and inevitably within the game. It’s easy to point out an attorney with ample supplies of resiliency.

Why is ego important to an attorney?

This is because if an attorney’s ego is damaged, that attorney’s next client, which could possibly be you, may suffer by having representation that is not on their game. Hence ego is vital to an attorney, particularly a rainmaker who one day could represent you. Empathy. Yes, you read that word correctly; empathy.

What is the difference between a lioness and an attorney?

In comparison, an attorney has an ego. Ego is another characteristic/instinct that powers the attorney into being an advocate as much as an adversary.

What is a skeptic attorney?

Skepticism is a key personality trait in many quality attorneys. To be a skeptic an attorney approaches issues and situations with a strong sense of judgment, if not cynicism. While being skeptical can be a bit wearing at times, second and third-guessing any issue can also offer a sense of protection.

What are the qualities of a good lawyer?

The very top lawyers are not only logical and analytical, but they display a great deal of creativity in their problem-solving.

What skills do lawyers need to be able to write?

But it’s not all about projection. To be able to analyse what clients tell them or follow a complex testimony, a lawyer must have good listening skills.

What are the skills required to be a lawyer?

Lawyers must be orally articulate, have good written communication skills and also be good listeners. In order to argue convincingly in the courtroom before juries and judges, good public speaking skills are essential. Communication and speaking skills can be developed during your studies by taking part in activities such as mooting or general public speaking.

Why is it important to research quickly?

Similarly, being able to research quickly and effectively is essential to understanding your clients, their needs, and to preparing legal strategies.

Why do you have to consider judgements critically?

You must also be able to consider these judgements critically, so that you can anticipate potential areas of weakness in your argument that must be fortified against.

Is law an abstract practice?

Law is not an abstract practice. Irrelevant of how well someone does academically, at the end of the day lawyers work with people, on behalf of people, and the decisions that are made affect people's lives.

Do lawyers have to have evaluative skills?

At times, there will be more than one reasonable conclusion, or more than one precedent applicable to resolving a situation. A lawyer must therefore have the evaluative skills in order to choose which is the most suitable.

Why do lawyers need to be constantly availing themselves?

Whether we are reading books or articles, listening to podcasts or the radio, lawyers need to be consistently availing themselves to new ideas, business strategies, marketing tactics or just sources of inspiration. These can either come in short form or long. With constant inputs, lawyer can continually improve themselves and their practices and expand their horizons.

What should lawyers read?

I recommend that lawyers read broadly in whatever interests them. Read for pleasure, but also be analytical as to what makes for enjoyable and consumable writing. The same components that make for good fiction and non-fiction also make for good legal writing.

How to become a lawyer as a young lawyer?

For young lawyers, you have to develop good knowledge of your practice area (s), which often takes time to learn beyond the hours that are billable to clients. Then you need to implement systems that will help you stay organized, manage your caseload and communicate regularly with clients.

How many minutes does Richter give lawyers?

Lawyers are notoriously busy folks, but Jeremy W. Richter wants them to give him five minutes of their day to become better at what they do.

Why is it important to make an early evaluation of liability and potential damages?

Make an early evaluation of liability and potential damages – This is key throughout because your client is attempting to evaluate risk and set reserves.

How to make sure you get paid for a personal injury case?

A personal injury attorney needs to make sure her firm’s name is on the settlement check along with the client, because if it goes into the client’s bank account first, the lawyer is never going to see her share of the money. For firms with individual and small business clients, get a retainer up front, because if you are only billing your clients after the work is done, you are going to end up doing a lot of work for free. For those who have an insurance defense practice like mine, the client gives you billing guidelines with which you have to be compliant; a failure to comply with the structure you’re given will result in you not getting paid, regardless of the quality of the work-product.

What is the idiom for people to do business with?

It’s a familiar but true idiom: People do business with people they know like and trust. According to Anthony Iannarino’s “The Lost Art of Closing,” turning a stranger into a new client involves building trust, creating value, collaborating and delivering exceptional results.

Why do lawyers become partners?

Numerous lawyers strive to become partners, since they want to be part of the management of a law firm rather than merely employees. In addition, many attorneys think that becoming a partner will ensure that they earn more money and live a more comfortable life . However, from my own personal experiences, becoming a partner at many law firms is not ...

What happens if an equity partner leaves a law firm?

If an equity partner leaves their firm, they are usually only paid back this capital over a long period of time, limiting their departure options. Furthermore, becoming an equity partner sometimes makes you liable for the debts of a law firm. If a law firm goes under, equity partners could be forced to shell out significant sums ...

When evaluating if partnership is something you want to pursue, should you not focus on the status of becoming a

When evaluating if partnership is something you want to pursue, you should not focus merely on the status of becoming a partner. Rather, you should carefully consider how much money you will earn as a partner, and what the terms of a partnership agreement will be, since making partner is oftentimes not as awesome as you’d think.

Do partners at regional law firms make money?

For one, partners at many well-regarded regional law firms do not make as much money as you might believe. Indeed, I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine who is in his mid-40s, and is a partner at a solid regional firm in the Northeast. I was surprised to discover that this partner, who has been practicing law for almost 20 years, earned less money than some first-year Biglaw associates!

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