Reference no: EM13916265

ADJ135 Becoming a Lawyer
For this essay, the job I chose was a lawyer. This essay will discuss what you need to know to become a lawyer, their ethical codes, and an overview of a life in the day of a lawyer. I chose this job because I love to debate, and sometimes I am very argumentative and I can be aggressive at times. You have to be able to counsel a client, as well as be an advocate and adviser to them.

Let me describe to you the Lawyers course of training. Formal educational requirements for lawyers include a four-year college degree, three years in law school, and the passing of a written bar examination. Competition for admission to most law schools is intense. Prospective lawyers should develop proficiency in writing and speaking, reading, researching, analyzing, and thinking logically-skills needed to succeed both in law school and in the profession. Regardless of major, a multidisciplinary background is recommended. Courses in English, foreign languages, public speaking, government, philosophy, history, economics, mathematics, and computer science, among others, are useful. Students interested in a particular aspect of law may find related courses helpful. For example, prospective patent lawyers need a strong background in engineering or science, and future tax lawyers must have extensive knowledge of accounting. Acceptance by most law schools depends on the applicant's ability to demonstrate an aptitude for the study of law, usually through good undergraduate grades, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), the quality of the applicant's undergraduate school, any prior work experience, and, sometimes, a personal interview. The practice of law involves a great deal of responsibility. Individuals planning careers in law should like to work with people and be able to win the respect and confidence of their clients, associates, and the public. Perseverance, creativity, and reasoning ability also are essential to lawyers, who often analyze complex cases and handle new and unique legal problems.

Lawyers play an important role in society, and they specialize in a variety of fields ranging from patent law to criminal law. Lawyers serve as both advisors and advocates to the public, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), www.bls.gov. Their primary responsibilities include counseling individuals on their legal rights and obligations and representing individuals in various legal matters. Depending on his or her specialization, a Lawyer may act as a defense attorney (defending a client against criminal or civil charges) or a prosecuting attorney (representing the alleged victim of a criminal act). The BLS emphasizes that Lawyers spend the majority of their time outside of court conducting research, composing and filing legal documents and interacting with clients. Lawyers who have private legal practices or who are partners in law firms must also oversee business operations, including billing, advertising, and human resources duties. There are laws dealing with nearly every aspect of daily life ranging from finance to marriage, and there are Lawyers who specialize in all of these areas.
According to the American Bar Association (ABA), your choice of specialization affects your daily activities as a Lawyer. Lawyers who work as defense attorneys, prosecutors, or civil litigators frequently find themselves in the courtroom. In contrast, tax attorneys and Lawyers who specialize in family and immigration law have few occasions to participate in trials. The BLS points out that no matter what your specialty is, you'll spend far more time conducting research, interviewing clients and composing legal documents than you will spend in court. Lawyers are in fact the backbone of our system since without them; the society would come to a standstill. These individuals hold positions of great importance since they have the power to influence the thinking of so many people.