Career planning

Lawyers

Things I need to know about myself

• What do I want to do with my life?
• Where do I want to live?
• How much money do I need to make?
• What kind of things do I need?
• Do I want nice and expensive things? 

Overview

• Lawyers are also called attorneys
• Lawyers tell clients their rights and suggest the best course of action  
• Lawyers represent their clients in court
• Lawyers present evidence to support their clients case
• Lawyers develop arguments and strategies to use in court

Job Tasks and Responsibilities

• Lawyers spend most of their time researching clients cases
• They meet up with clients to learn about the facts
• They look at the evidence to see if its enough for a lawsuit
• They interview people who have info important to the clients case
• Lawyers most often try to settle cases before they go to court

Skills and abilities

• General Knowledge
• Research and Study skills 
• Analytical Thinking skills 
• Communication skills 
• Negotiation skills

Education and training

• Starts with undergraduate degree from 4-year college or university
• May benefit from classes in history, economics,public speaking or sociology
• Join a law school where you will complete a 3 year program
• Before you can practice law you must pass the bar exam 
• Training options in some schools allow you to work with experienced lawyers

Salaries and benefits

Lawyers with law degree ($50,790)

Lawyers with 1 year of post-law school judicial clerkship experience ($60,877)
Lawyers who earn advanced law degrees with 1 year of post-law school full-time graduate law study ($60,877)
Lawyers with 2 – 3 years of judicial clerkships, or combination of 2 – 3 years of post-law school clerkships, qualifying legal fellowships,
or a post-law school full-time graduate law degree program ($72,391)

Benefits

• Annual leave (13 days minimum each year)
• Sick leave (13 days minimum each year) 
• Paid Holidays (10 paid holidays each year)
• Health care coverage
• Life insurance 

Working Environment and conditions

• Lawyers do most of their work in offices, law libraries and courthouses
• Lawyers sometimes meet in clients home if necessary 
• Lawyers may sometimes go to hospitals and prisons to collect evidence 
• Lawyers often work long hours usually 50 or more hours a week
• Lawyers who work for bigger firms may work more irregular hours and days

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages
Lawyers who graduate from top schools salaries can start at almost $130,000

New Lawyers who join TOP corporate law firms can make nearly as much as
$150,000-$170,000
With rates of compensation increasing with seniority lawyers can make up to $200,000

Hard work PAYS OFF handsomely

Disadvantages

• Being a lawyer can be extremely stressful 
• Today lawyers work hours are usually 50+
• Law school debt can cost up to $43,000
• Clients are demanding more value for their dollar 
• Must sacrefice work-life balance

Reason for choosing this job
1.High pay
2.Want to become a respected lawyer
3.I'll be able to buy the nicer things in life
4.I don't plan on having children
5.If I'm going to be boring for the rest of my life i might as well get some money out of it

end