why being a lawyer is the best career

by Kianna Zboncak 4 min read

The Top 8 Reasons to Become a Lawyer

  • Earning Potential. Lawyers are among the highest-paid professionals in the legal industry, and most attorneys earn...
  • The Prestige. A career as a lawyer has been a hallmark of prestige for generations. Impressive degrees and a certain...
  • An Opportunity to Help Others. Lawyers are in a unique position to help individuals, groups, and...

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.Nov 20, 2019

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What is the hardest part of being a lawyer?

What Is a Lawyer's Hardest Job?

  • Overzealousness. Lawyers often must deal with arm-chair attorneys -- the clients who believe they know more about the law than the licensed attorney they hired to represent them.
  • Moral Dilemma. ...
  • Interpretation. ...
  • Fees. ...

What are the professional requirements for becoming a lawyer?

What are the Professional Requirements for Becoming a Lawyer?

  1. Bachelor's Degree. Anyone who wants to pursue a law degree must first complete a bachelor's degree program (or its equivalent).
  2. Law School. The next step is to graduate from or complete at least three years at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, with slight variations from ...
  3. State Bar Exam. ...
  4. Character and Fitness Review. ...
  5. Oath. ...

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What are the pros and cons of being a lawyer?

What are the pros of being a lawyer?

  • Many career choices. There are many different types of law that one can practice, and lawyers have the freedom to choose what suits them best.
  • High paying salary. One of the most significant benefits of being a lawyer is the hefty salary, which certainly draws many people towards this field.
  • Invigorating work. ...
  • They get to help others. ...
  • Prestige. ...

What are the negatives of being a lawyer?

List of the Cons of Being a Lawyer

  1. There are high levels of stress in this career. Being a lawyer means that you will face numerous deadlines throughout your career. ...
  2. You will work long hours as an attorney. Lawyers are asked to put in long hours every week to support their clients, especially in the early years of your ...
  3. It costs a lot to attend law school for your education. ...

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Is lawyer still a good career?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8.9 percent employment growth for lawyers between 2020 and 2030. In that period, an estimated 71,500 jobs should open up. A lawyer advises and represents individuals or organizations in legal matters.

Is it worth it to be a lawyer?

The median annual salary for lawyers in 2016 was $118,160, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). * For some, the pay is just the cherry on top of a career that allows them to help enforce justice and use their influence to improve their community.

Why do I love being a lawyer?

I knew then that I loved being a lawyer. I loved protecting people in a court of law. I loved the feeling of accomplishment I get from helping others fight—win or lose. I get to think through problems every day for people I really like.

Why do I want to be a lawyer?

Law encourages and promotes discussion and argument as a way to uncover the truth. The law allows individuals to engage in some of the most important discussions that people consider such as self-governance, the inherent good of man, and the fair treatment of man. The world needs great lawyers.

1. Professional fulfillment

Due to the nature of their careers, lawyers have the unique opportunity to help others and make a difference in their lives. Even more, through their day-to-day role of offering legal services in a diverse array of environments, lawyers can typically challenge themselves intellectually.

2. Salary potential

Lawyers have the potential to earn high rates of compensation by offering their expertise and services. The national average salary for a lawyer is $73,998 per year, and these professionals commonly earn employer-sponsored benefits like health, dental and vision insurance, paid time off (PTO), retirement plan options and parental leave.

3. Specialization options

There are many specialization options available to lawyers. These professionals can pursue broad fields of law or concentrate their work in a niche area. For example, lawyers may work in specialty areas such as criminal or civil law, employment and labor law, family law, entertainment law or corporate law.

4. Advancement options

The legal field can offer professionals various opportunities for advancement throughout their careers. Not only are there many options for advancement within particular law firms—such as the move from associate to partner—but lawyers can pursue other types of work as they grow as professionals.

5. Job outlook

Lawyers generally enjoy positive employment prospects, as these professionals are typically in-demand and can work in a variety of environments. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment of lawyers may increase by 9% between 2020 and 2030, resulting in the addition of approximately 71,500 jobs in this field.

6. Work environment and accommodations

Lawyers have the option to work in many environments depending on their professional interests and needs. Lawyers can typically find roles at law firms, government agencies, companies and nonprofit organizations, but may also find unique roles at other organizations seeking legal services.

7. Prestige and influence

Working as a lawyer can offer professionals a distinct level of prestige and status in their communities. This prestige can earn lawyers professional recognition and afford them a certain amount of influence.

Why do people want to be a lawyer?

Many people view the lawyer profession as one with a high level of prestige. This typically stems from their impressive degrees and the level of authority they have over others. This profession demands respect and is often viewed as glamorous by the media.

Why do lawyers help people?

While this profession allows you to seek justice for these parties, it also provides you with emotional rewards. Depending on your perspective, this can be more beneficial than the money you earn in this profession.

Why do lawyers have a decorating budget?

For example, some lawyers can also enjoy a decorating budget to help make their work environment more conducive to their productivity. Other work perks they may be able to take advantage of include plush accommodations, gym memberships and support staff to help minimize their workload.

How many hours do lawyers work?

This is mostly the case for new lawyers barely starting their careers. While a normal workweek consists of 40 hours, some lawyers put in 60 to 90 hours each week depending on the needs of the case they're working on.

How much do lawyers make?

Lawyers have the ability to earn a generous income. They make a national average salary of $50,979 per year. Though you may not earn this income as a new lawyer, you can work your way toward this salary with enough hard work and experience. However, finding satisfaction in your specific field may be worth more than your annual salary.

What do lawyers do when they have a case?

When they have a case, they prepare the necessary documents, gather evidence, analyze probable outcomes and often appear in court to represent their clients. While in court, they present their case to the judge and the jury using logical reasoning and a combination of their persuasiveness and analytical abilities.

How has technology influenced the legal landscape?

The rise in technology has influenced the legal landscape. To become a successful lawyer, you need to understand a wide range of technological platforms such as management tools, spreadsheets and billing software. Staying up-to-date with these technological advances can be a hassle for individuals who aren't as technologically savvy. As previously mentioned, the rise in technology can also divert clients to online legal services that can offer help at a cheaper rate.

Why is being a lawyer important?

Another one of the many benefits of being a lawyer is the mental stimulation an attorney experiences when working through complex legal theories, statutes, and case law to find a solution to a legal question. Most lawyers possess exceptional analytical skills including reading and writing skills. Practicing law allows you to use your mental skills each day in effective ways to solve problems for your clients. Because each case is unique, you must use your full mental capabilities to research, speculate, hypothesize, and formulate legal strategies to effectively solve problems for your clients.

Why do people choose to become an attorney?

Of course, money is not the only reason why people choose the legal field as their career. The emotional rewards of being an attorney can be even more satisfying than the financial rewards. If you are passionate about your chosen field of law and you believe your top priority is your client, assisting people achieve a positive outcome for their problem is extremely satisfying. An attorney usually sees a person during one of the worst moments of their life; therefore, it can be extremely rewarding to help this person find a successful resolution to their problem.

What is the best environment for a lawyer?

Work Environment. For many, the work environment is one of the benefits specifically considered when choosing a career. Most lawyers work in law firms, government agencies, or corporations where they are afforded an actual office with four walls rather than a cubicle in the middle of a “bull pen” from a cubicle.

How much does an attorney make?

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. Salaries of experienced, specialized attorneys can be much, much higher depending on the field, geographical location, employer, and level of experience.

What are the benefits of being a lawyer?

The benefits of being a lawyer depend on several factors; however, seven of the most common benefits of being a lawyer include: 1. Wide Selection of Career Options. The benefits of being a lawyer include being able to select from a wide variety of career options in the public and private sector. If your calling is to make ...

What are the areas of law that you can choose from?

In addition to criminal defense, you may choose from many areas of law including domestic law, real estate, corporate/business law, bankruptcy law, immigration law, or estate planning. If there is a law that covers a particular subject, you can choose to specialize in that specific area.

Is being a lawyer good?

It takes years of hard work and intensive study to become a lawyer; therefore, very few people would choose this career if there were not several excellent benefits of being a lawyer. For those who work hard, the rewards of being an attorney outweigh the cost of achieving your law degree and license to practice law.

What is the most astonishing thing about being a lawyer?

The most astonishing thing about being a lawyer is, you get to learn with time passing by. As you continue to take different cases throughout the year, you become better at the craft.

What is the best profession to step your foot in?

If you love being around people and helping them, the law is the best profession to step your foot in. Not to forget, many people enter this profession because they want to help others.

Is it easy to become a lawyer?

So even if you feel like diversifying or trying a different niche, being a lawyer, it will be easy for you to make this transition. When you have a legal degree, it opens tons of opportunities for you in this field.

Can freelancers make more money?

As a freelancer, you will easily be able to earn more money by working for rich clients.

Why is being a lawyer important?

Another one of the many benefits of being a lawyer is the mental stimulation an attorney experiences when working through complex legal theories, statutes, and case law to find a solution to a legal question. Most lawyers possess exceptional analytical skills including reading and writing skills. Practicing law allows you to use your mental skills each day in effective ways to solve problems for your clients. Because each case is unique, you must use your full mental capabilities to research, speculate, hypothesize, and formulate legal strategies to effectively solve problems for your clients.

Why do people choose to become an attorney?

Of course, money is not the only reason why people choose the legal field as their career. The emotional rewards of being an attorney can be even more satisfying than the financial rewards. If you are passionate about your chosen field of law and you believe your top priority is your client, assisting people achieve a positive outcome for their problem is extremely satisfying. An attorney usually sees a person during one of the worst moments of their life; therefore, it can be extremely rewarding to help this person find a successful resolution to their problem.

What are the benefits of being a lawyer?

The benefits of being a lawyer include being able to select from a wide variety of career options in the public and private sector. If your calling is to make the world a safer place for you, your family, and everyone else, you may choose to become a criminal prosecutor. On the other hand, if you believe our criminal justice system is grounded on the principal that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and everyone has the right to competent legal counsel, you may choose to become a public defender. Of course, some people believe this but choose to be a criminal defense attorney in the private sector because private attorneys tend to earn a great deal more than attorneys in the public sector.

How much does an attorney make?

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. Salaries of experienced, specialized attorneys can be much, much higher depending on the field, geographical location, employer, and level of experience.

Do lawyers argue in court?

Some lawyers never argue a case in a court room or they argue very few cases in court. On the other hand, some trial attorneys are in court almost each week arguing a new case. If you enjoy the challenge of going up against another attorney to argue legal theories and points to prove your allegations are correct, becoming an attorney will give you ample opportunity to argue and debate legal theories and various interpretations of the law.

Is being a lawyer good?

It takes years of hard work and intensive study to become a lawyer; therefore, very few people would choose this career if there were not several excellent benefits of being a lawyer. For those who work hard, the rewards of being an attorney outweigh the cost of achieving your law degree and license to practice law.

Why are lawyers important?

Public lawyers aid legal causes for the greater societal good and assist those who need legal help and might not be able to find so on their own. Underprivileged people, elderly, victims of domestic abuse and children are among the beneficiaries of lawyers. Such lawyers serve an important societal and moral purpose with their existence.

How to become a good lawyer?

When you start studying law, you start regularly participating in activities where you need to speak out your opinions and thoughts aloud, along with the result of your researches. Regular culture of debating, mooting, presentations, group discussions, conferences in the law schools, brushes and shapes your legal jargon, builds a rich vocabulary and allows you to fascinate the laymen with your speaking skills. It becomes easier to convince the other party when you are confident in your speaking and convey your thoughts smoothly. And a good speaker portrays a brilliant image of himself in the mind of others.

What is the topmost incentive to become a lawyer?

Thus it can be considered to be the topmost incentive to become a lawyer. Prestige. Law as a career has proved to be a seal of prestige and reputation over generations and time immemorial. Impressive and highly qualified degrees obtained at the end of the courses; a general notion of authority over the others have brought lawyers under ...

What is the attire of a lawyer?

Last but not the least, lawyers’ attires and their presentability speaks loudly about their personality and the glamorously elite professional world that they are a part of. Italian suits, white collars, black robes, each of them have the significance and the appeal that are eye-catching and head-turning.

Why is it important to fulfill work and satisfaction of the same?

Fulfilment of work and satisfaction of the same is something that makes law as a career starkly different and better than other career options. Additionally, variety of work experience and field to work on is another important incentive that plays an essential role. Each day is filled with something new and interesting.

How do lawyers affect society?

Lawyers are always in a position different from others, to affect the society in terms of great impact by being thought leaders and agents of change. They can make or break the society, bring about huge changes and hold influential positions in the ruling body of a state, i.e. the Government. Accordingly, lawyers are able to influence ...

Why is it important to pursue a law career?

One of the most interesting incentives to pursue a career in law is the experience of networking since the student age for diverse range of work and research and thereby expanding horizon by leaps and bounds. Lawyers meet people from diverse backgrounds, from almost every field of life. Networking with clients not only will expand business skills, but will also lead to other perks in terms of basic amenities of life, like contractors, brokers, doctors and even foodies!

What is the job of a lawyer?

When you work as a lawyer, then your job is to represent and advise clients in criminal or civil cases. Attorneys will often specialize in a specific area of the law so that they can maximize the impact of their services.

What are the benefits of being an attorney?

There are numerous career options available to you in this field.#N#One of the best benefits of being an attorney is the fact that you can select from a wide variety of career options in the private or public sector. You can choose to represent the law in your community as a criminal prosecutor. There is also the option to become a criminal defense attorney so that you can work to protect innocent lives. You can even choose to become a public defender to help those who might be unable to help themselves.

Why do lawyers never argue?

There are some attorneys who will never argue a case in a courtroom because of the clients they choose to take. You will also find that there are trial lawyers who are in court almost every week because they are arguing a new case.

Why do people like to work with multiple clients?

Some people like to work with multiple clients because that structure gives them a lot of social energy to enjoy. Others prefer to work with one client over a long time because the structure offers more job security and work consistency. It is all up to you. 3.

What does it mean to be an attorney?

Being an attorney means that you are afforded certain privileges that come with the prestige of this degree that other vocational opportunities do not have. You can have access to an expense account, set your own hours, and some lawyers even have a decorating budget they can access. 7.

How much does a public defender make?

You will not experience this benefit of being a lawyer if you decide to go into public service with your law degree. Public defenders make about 50% of the median for this career in the United States, while prosecutors can earn about 75% of the national average in most jurisdictions.

Can you pick and choose your clients?

7. You cannot always pick and choose your clients . If you want to make a living as a lawyer, then you will not have many opportunities to pick and choose which clients you decide to represent. People who need lawyers is not a single, simple demographic that you can evaluate for marketing purposes.

How much do lawyers make?

However, according to U.S. News, the median yearly income for lawyers is $118,160 a year, with the highest-earning lawyers earning more than $187,200 annually and the lowest-earning making around $55,000.

How much do real estate attorneys make?

Real estate attorney: the median is $79,000 and these lawyers can earn as much as $149,000 a year . Chief Legal Officers/General Counsel: CLOs at major companies can earn up to seven figures. The Balance added that other legal jobs such as judges, law school professors, and members of Congress are also high-paying.

Is being a nail technician better than being a lawyer?

In 2014, U.S. News and World Report surprised the legal community when they announced that the practice of law as a profession ranked worse than being a nail technician. Considering the money, time, and energy it takes to become a lawyer, it was intriguing to realize that a nail technician with a substantially shorter amount of education – not to mention an education that is far less elite and challenging, nonetheless had a better gig. That year, the publication ranked “Lawyer” as the 51 st best job in the country, and buffing nails (#49) or popping pimples (#29) beat out filing briefs for a top-tier spot. While this abysmal showing for lawyers should have been a wake-up call for the industry, the job of attorney continues to drop on the Best Jobs scale.

Do law school graduates get jobs?

Law school graduates from elite universities such as Yale or Harvard continue to not experience problems getting work, and experienced attorneys with niche practices are also doing well. Harrison Barnes of BCG Attorney Search, one of the nation’s leading legal recruitment firms, said that attorneys who specialize in “hot” practice areas such as bankruptcy and healthcare continue to find work. In BCG Attorney Search’s annual State of the American Legal Market report, Barnes noted that he saw a record-number of interviews and placements in 2016 for lawyers with niche practices.

Who is James Yoon?

James Yoon, a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, told New York Times that he has noticed downsizing in recent years but that clients continue to be willing to pay for quality legal service.

Is law a good fit for introverts?

Job satisfaction is greatly dependent on the work being compatible with your personality, and law’s heavy use of analytical thinking is a great fit for introverts. But that isn’t to say that extroverts also don’t love the legal field and succeed in it.

Is Lawcrossing a good site?

LawCrossing has more jobs and it is more tailored. Other sites gave a lot of irrelevant results. Your site may have a great algorithm, but it felt like an actual person choosing jobs they felt would be good based on my search. I will always recommend this site!

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