5 Things to Know About Getting a Career as a Lawyer

Posted by Rayanne on August 4th, 2021

If you are lucky enough to have made it through law school and have passed the bar, you are probably excited about the prospects of your life as an attorney. From what you have seen and learned in the classroom, a lawyer's life can be hectic, fast-paced and downright thrilling. At times a lawyer's life can seem as heroic or action-packed as those with CIA agent or spy as job titles. However, there is a huge gap between reality and television and rarely is there any confusion in job titles. Although there may be some similarities, real-life lawyering is way different from what we see on television.

Discover how many new lawyers spend time discovering a specialized area of concentration in law that excites them and five things to know about getting into a career as a lawyer. Figuring out what you want to specialize in as a lawyer is as hard as it is to get into law school. Your specialty is the area you'll concentrate on in college and the type of practice you'll likely enter. Deciding should be done with time and care, thinking about your passions and personality and what will keep you engaged and motivated year after year. For those considering a career as a lawyer, some things to know are:

Maintaining the status quo.

You've put in the time at college, law school, you've interned, passed the bar, and yet many states still require lawyers to perform pro bono work or take courses and meet specific criteria for certification. For instance, the Louisiana CLE reports directly to the bar what classes lawyers complete. Some of these certifications come with dues and fees which must also be maintained for a lawyer to stay in good standing in his state.

Off the court.

Unless you are a public defender in a large city or become a hugely popular defense attorney, you probably won't spend a lot of time in court. Many attorneys spend zero time in court, primarily if they practice environmental, industrial or corporate law. Much of the time, their work gets done in their office or before Congress. Even the lawyers who do go to court, hearings can be less than 15 minutes and trials don't happen as often as television would have you believe.

You'll be a writer.

As a lawyer, you will do a lot of writing; there is no way around it. It doesn't matter what area of concentration you specialize in, get ready for it. From letters to pleadings and other legal documents, you will spend a lot of time trying to convince somebody of something in writing. That means being an effective communicator and skilled persuasive writer is crucial to your success. In addition to writing to persuade, lawyers learn to write understanding that their work may go beyond the person they intended to read it. Therefore, their writing is usually concise and leaves very little room for misinterpretation.

Balancing act.

Unless you are a partner, you may get caught up in billable hours. That means your firm wants an accounting of how you spend every minute of your workday so that a client pays for it. Many lawyers hate billable hours because they find themselves working a lot more hours than other professions. Striking a balance as an attorney is challenging because of billable hours, especially if the attorney has a family. However, finding balance is essential to attorneys' careers and mental health and something they should discover early. It takes time and practice to learn the art of legal writing.

Mind over matter.

As a lawyer, you will see and hear a lot. You will be an advocate for either a person or principal. Either way, your mental health will be challenged daily with you trying to stay on track and do the right thing. The challenges make it vital for attorneys to have an outlet or someone they can talk to when things get too heavy for them. Mental health matters for attorneys as well.

Conclusion

Many new lawyers spend time discovering a specialty in law that excites them and will energize them in their field. Listed above are five things to know about getting into a career as a lawyer that should be helpful if you are considering law.