Definition
A lawyer is a practitioner who has a lawyer’s practice certificate under the law and is entrusted or appointed to provide legal services to the parties.
Job Responsibilities
- Act as a civil case agent or criminal case defender
- Non-litigation legal affairs and also take part in the negotiation of economic projects.
- Act as legal counsel for agencies, large and medium-sized enterprises, institutions, and organizations.
- Research and solve problems encountered in lawyers’ business activities.
- To guide the business work of paralegals.
- Accept the client’s entrustment to formulate legal solutions for the client;
- Do an adequate job in litigation, arbitration, non-litigation agency, and other legal services;
- Responsible for daily legal consultation.
- Legal training activities organized by disability firms.
- They safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the parties and also ensure the correct implementation of the law.
The above job responsibilities information is for reference only, and so the specific job content is subject to the actual job requirements.
Job Opportunity
Lawyers work in law offices, government agencies, and corporations. They may specialize in a specific type of law, such as tax law, and most work full time.
Salary
Lawyers with an advanced degree may earn more money than those without advanced degrees. In 2020, the median annual wage for lawyers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was $126,930. In addition, depending on your industry or city in the United States, the salary may range from $61,490 to $208,000.
Education and Licensure
It takes seven years to become a lawyer after high school in the United States. After completing a bachelor’s degree for four years, you’ll need to complete Law School Admission Test (LSAT) exams.
The LSAT is the standardized test required for admission to law school in the United States. The exam has been administered since 1948 and it assesses the reading comprehension, logical, and verbal reasoning proficiencies. Its purpose is to determine whether test-takers have the potential to succeed at law school.
In 2015, 153,617 people took the LSAT in the United States representing a 4% decrease from 2014. After that, a three years study in law school to obtain a Juris Doctor (JD) degree is of necessity. The law school must be accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
Law students also study constitutional law, international law, contracts, and torts. In addition to the standard curriculum, some schools have elective courses available in areas such as business law, criminal law, tax law.
In addition to a law degree, many jurisdictions require that lawyers pass a written bar examination to obtain a license. The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is the most common bar exam in the United States, taken by more than half of all test takers. Other exams include the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), Multistate Performance Test (MPT), and the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE).
After law school, most jurisdictions require new lawyers to complete a period of training, known as probation, lasting from one to three years. There is no single path to becoming a lawyer in the United States. It depends on your career goals, interests, experience, and education status.
Employment
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of lawyers in the US will rise by 9 per cent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations. And also there are about 46,000 lawyer openings each year, on average over the decade. In addition to replacing workers who transfer to different duties or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Job openings will arise each year because of growth in the economy. The legal industry is affected by the same trend toward specialization as other industries, with firms dividing into smaller units that focus on specific services for particular clients. Firms in this environment will be able to work on fewer types of projects, which will make it easier for them to staff more efficiently.
Professional Ethics
- Lawyers shall be loyal to the Constitution and also the law, adhere to the fact that they are based.
- Take the law as the criterion, and practice strictly under the law.
- Lawyers should be loyal to their duties, adhere to principles, and safeguard national laws and social justice.
- Lawyers shall actively participate in social welfare activities.
- Strictly abide by state secrets and also keep clients’ business secrets and clients privacy.
- Diligently perform their duties and dutifully safeguard the legitimate interests of their clients.
