Overview

The law is a system of rules that a society or government develops in order to deal with crime, business agreements and social relationships. Simply put, lawyers provide different kinds of legal services to individuals or organisations both in the private and public sector. They advise, guide and ensure that from a legal standpoint, laid out rules and regulations are followed. They take the necessary actions to resolve legal disputes. Lawyers can either choose to have a private practice or be a part of a legal team representing businesses, government agencies etc. They are required to carry out extensive research, review legal documents & evidence, prepare arguments to support their findings in court of law and also carry out certain administrative responsibilities based on their designation and role in a given organisation. Judiciary is one of the four pillars that upholds our democracy. It is upto professionals in this field to preserve, promote and protect the rights of citizens and ensure justice is served to all.

Job Prospects

Some of the prospective jobs under this field are:

• Judge: A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. He/she passes judgement based on the arguments made and evidence presented by the litigating parties.
• Real Estate Lawyer: They primarily handle the legal aspects of real estate transactions; upholding rules and regulation pertaining to this sector.
• Bankruptcy Lawyer: They assist clients through court proceedings to reduce or eliminate debt or to proceed forward with bankruptcy.
• Personal Injury Lawyer: A personal injury lawyer represents individuals who have sustained injuries in accidents to claim damages in the form of financial compensation.
• Medical Malpractice Lawyer: Medical malpractice lawyers litigate lawsuits based on malpractice and negligence on part of doctors and other healthcare professionals.
• Tax Lawyer: They deal with the assessment and payment of taxes and ensure that their clients follow tax laws in their dealings.
• Family Lawyer: A family lawyer deals with issues such as prenuptial agreement, divorce, child custody or any other legal issues that may arise in a family set up.
• Intellectual Property Lawyer: Known as an IP attorney, an intellectual property lawyer deals with issues relating to intellectual property such as copyrights, trademarks, patents, industrial designs and trade secrets.
• Contract Lawyer: Contract lawyers oversee the preparation and implementation of contracts as well as resolve issues in case of a breach.
• International Law: They deal with international disputes pertaining to human rights, business policies, criminal offences etc.
• Employment Lawyer: An employment lawyer provides advice about legal issues which arise from an employment contract or within an employment relationship.
• Immigration Lawyer: Any issues arising during the process of immigration such as visas, citizenship, asylum, green cards etc are dealt by immigration lawyers.
• Criminal Defence Lawyer: A criminal defence lawyer is a lawyer specializing in the defence of individuals and companies charged with criminal activity.
• Corporate Lawyer: Corporate lawyers ensure that laws, policies, rules and regulations that govern the formation and operation of businesses and organisations are followed.
• Civil Rights Attorney: They uphold and preserve civil rights of citizens. These include issues related to discrimination and harassment on grounds of physical or mental disability, gender, religion, race, national origin, age, sexual orientation or gender identity.

• Government Lawyer: Government lawyers are employed by the government to provide legal advice to  government employees and  agencies on a variety of issues.
• Paralegal: Paralegals assist attorneys by preparing for trials and meetings by investigating facts of a case, interviewing clients and witnesses, conducting legal research, drafting – deposition notices, subpoenas, motions briefs etc.
• Internet Lawyer: Upholding the cyber laws such as laws related to creation of websites, governing internet service providers, trademarks, domain conflicts etc is the prime responsibility of internet lawyers.

Roles and Responsibilities

Certain duties attached to this field are:

• Provide legal expertise to clients depending on one’s area of specialisation.
• Conduct research to build arguments to promote your clients interests.
• Prepare and file legal documents such as appeals, lawsuits, contracts, wills and deeds.
• Explain legal procedures and documents to clients.
• Defend a client in court of law.
• Interpret rulings, laws and regulations for individuals and businesses involved.
• Negotiate settlements pertaining to civil disputes.
• Perform administrative and management duties associated with one’s designation.
• Supervise legal assistants when working within a team setup.
• Help develop central and state programs, draft and interpret laws and legislation and establish enforcement procedures.

Desired Attributes

Given below are desired qualities for professionals in this field:

• Strong theoretical base with knowledge of different kinds of laws.
• Ability to carry out extensive research to support one’s argument.
• Have good analytical skills as well as the ability to think critically.
• Ability to construct reasonable and logical conclusions.
• Good communications skills to be able to convey information clearly and efficiently.
• Ability to make sound judgements based on the information provided.