Lawyers

Career summary

Lawyers work as:

• Judges
• Professors
• Public defenders
• Civil lawyers
• Trial lawyers

Lawyers are also called attorneys. They advise clients of their legal rights and suggest a course of action. They represent clients in court and present evidence to support their case. Many cases that go to trial are criminal cases. Criminal lawyers represent people who have been charged with a crime.

Trial lawyers

Trial lawyers spend most of their time researching clients' cases. They meet with clients to learn the facts. They examine the evidence to see if there is enough to pursue a lawsuit. They research previous cases and laws to find support for the case and to see what the possible outcomes might be. They interview witnesses and other people who have information important to clients' cases.

Lawyers develop strategies and arguments to write in the legal documents that they file with the court.

Lawyers select jurors and ask witnesses questions during trials. They summarize their case at the end of the trial, and try to convince juries to see their side of the argument. They explain the decision to clients once the case is settled. They interpret the laws and rules as they apply to the case.

Lawyers often try to settle cases before they go to court. They may negotiate the amount of settlements in civil cases.

Civil lawyers

Civil lawyers rarely go to court. They handle cases that do not require going to trial. They prepare wills, contracts, and business deals.

Civil lawyers also research clients' cases. They learn about the contract, will, or the business deal. Some contracts and wills are straightforward and require little work. Other contracts are more complicated. Civil lawyers may examine public records to establish ownership of property.

Many lawyers supervise other legal employees, including legal assistants, paralegals, first year lawyers, and law clerks.

Related careers

This career is part of the Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Agents and Business Managers
• Arbitrators and Mediators
• Business Executives
• Foreign Service Officers
• Forensic Accountants
• Judges and Hearing Officers
• Law Clerks
• Marketing Managers
• Paralegals
• Psychologists
• University and College Teachers

Military careers

• Lawyers and Judges

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to lawyers.

• Interview clients and witnesses to understand the facts of cases.
• Examine legal data to determine the merit of cases, possible outcomes, and whether they should be taken.
• Advise clients about their legal rights.
• Study regulations and court decisions.
• Gather evidence to put together a defense or begin legal actions.
• Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments to use when presenting the case.
• Confer with other lawyers.
• Prepare and file legal briefs.
• Represent clients in court. Negotiate settlements.
• Conduct case, examine and cross examine witnesses, and summarize case to judge or jury.
• Interpret laws, rulings, and regulations for individuals and businesses.
• Search for and examine public records to establish ownership.
• Prepare and draft legal documents, such as wills, deeds, and contracts.
• May supervise paralegals, law clerks, and legal assistants.

Common work activities

Lawyers perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Get information needed to do the job
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Evaluate information against standards
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Use computers
• Process information
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Analyze data or information
• Document and record information
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Think creatively
• Perform administrative tasks
• Perform for or work with the public
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Schedule work and activities
• Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Develop and build teams
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, lawyers:

Interpersonal relationships

• Are often placed in conflict situations with clients or lawyers who are angry or unhappy.
• Communicate by telephone, e-mail, letters, memos, and in person on a daily basis. They may on occasion speak in front of groups.
• Have a medium to high level of social contact. They talk to clients, but also spend time alone researching and analyzing cases.
• Are responsible for the work done by other workers, including paralegals, clerks, and other lawyers they may supervise.
• Regularly work in a group or team.

Physical work conditions

• Always work indoors.

Work performance

• Must be exact in their work. Errors could cause delays or unfair rulings.
• Regularly make decisions that greatly impact their employer's finances and reputation.
• Make decisions that affect clients and other employees on a daily basis. They rarely consult a supervisor before deciding a course of action.
• Set nearly all their daily tasks and goals without consulting a supervisor first.
• Work in a competitive atmosphere. They must abide by strict daily deadlines.
• Repeat the same mental tasks.

Hours/travel

• Often work long hours. It is common for lawyers to work more than 50 hours a week.
• Generally work a set schedule.
• May travel to clients' homes or places of business.

Physical demands

Lawyers frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.
• Repeat the same movements.

It is important for lawyers to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for lawyers to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.

Skills and abilities

Lawyers need to:

Communicate

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Understand written information.
• Understand spoken information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Manage the time of self and others.
• Check how well one is learning or doing something.

Work with people

• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Law

Other programs of study to consider

• Business Management and Administration
• Economics
• Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
• History
• International Relations
• Liberal Studies
• Political Science and Government
• Pre-Law
• Psychology, General
• Science, Technology, and Society
• Social Sciences, General
• Taxation

Training

To work as a lawyer, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree;
• have a law degree; and
• pass the Bar exam for the state in which you want to practice.

Education after high school

Lawyers must have a law degree. Many colleges and universities offer professional degrees in law. To qualify for law school, you usually must have completed a bachelor's degree. Some law schools accept a few students who have completed only three years of college.

Together, college and law school usually take seven years of full-time study. This includes four years of undergraduate study followed by three years of law school. Law school graduates receive a juris doctor (JD) degree.

Your bachelor's degree does not have to be in a specific area for you to apply to law school. You should consider a well-rounded course of study, such as liberal arts.

You should consider taking college courses in English, a second language, and public speaking. Other helpful courses include government, philosophy, history, and economics. If you are interested in a particular area of law, courses in that area are helpful. For example, take accounting courses if you are interested in tax law.

Work experience

Some schools also offer clinical programs. These programs help you gain legal skills by participating in mock trials and law school projects. You can also get experience by volunteering at legal aid clinics.

Students who finish their second year of law school may apply for part-time or summer clerkships. These positions offer students experience in law firms, government agencies, and corporate legal departments.

There are three types of appointments for law clerks:

• Temporary. This is like an internship and is usually for law students. The appointment is for one year or less. Students usually do these appointments during the summer when law school is not in session.
• Term. This appointment is for law students or graduates. The appointment usually is for one or two years.
• Career. This appointment is usually for law school graduates. The appointment usually is for four years or more.

For law students, clerkships are a way to learn by doing. You work with experienced lawyers as you perform legal research, draft contracts, and examine documents. You also observe legal proceedings.

On-the-job training

Beginning lawyers perform research and handle routine cases. As a new lawyer, an experienced lawyer will supervise your work. As you gain experience, you work on more difficult cases and have more responsibility.

Many states require lawyers to take classes or attend seminars every year to keep up with changes in the field.

Military training

The military does not provide training for lawyers. However, it can provide work experience for those who have a degree in law.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Business Law
• Computer Applications
• Law Studies
• Legal System

Many lawyers are self-employed. If you want to run your own business some day, you should consider taking these courses as well:

• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship
• Introduction to Business

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers prefer to hire applicants who are licensed in their state. Some also require that applicants pass a written ethics exam.

Employers look for applicants who like to work with people. They also look for lawyers who can win the respect and trust of others. Lawyers must be creative and able to work through difficult cases. They also must be able to handle new and unique legal problems.

Many lawyers who have been out of school for less than five years change jobs frequently. After five years of experience, the amount of job changing decreases. Experienced workers may be hired for judicial clerkships, deputy prosecutor positions, or may move from accounting firms to law firms and from law firms to large corporations. Many law firms expect new applicants to have some practical work experience through related employment and/or an internship.

#Comment on internships & work experience based on Law supplement in PSBJ, Aug. 23-29, 2014, pp. 5A, cj.

Some employers in the state hire applicants who have passed the bar exam after completing a four-year law clerk apprenticeship program administered by the Law Clerk Board of the Washington State Bar Association. Only eight other states currently offer this law clerk program  which is an alternative to attending law school.

#State law clerk program comments from PSBJ, Aug. 5-11, 2005 and website of WA State Bar Assn, 4/26/06, cj. Added web page for law clerk program 4/9/08, cj. Updated url 4/11/12 cj.

#looks ok 3/7/12 lh. Updated url & number of states offering apprenticeships (now total of 9) 3/27/14 cj. Info ok 4/16/18 cj.

Tips

Spend time with working lawyers before spending time and money on law school to make sure this is what you really want to do. Take personal assessment tests to see if this occupation is a good match with your personality. Enroll in a special education program offered by the local bar association, volunteer at a community mediation center, or take training by a local chapter of the American Arbitration Association. Take classes that involve analytical thinking such as logic, literary criticism, and philosophy. Some students arrange internships with local law firms. However, with the current economic recession, externships, in which students get college credit rather than pay for the work they do at a firm, may be easier to find. Judicial experience can be obtained by practicing lawyers by becoming a pro tem (substitute) judge.

#Comment on externships from "Law school graduates challenged with tighter legal labor market," Journal of Business, Sept. 17, 2009, cj.

Jobs within the field of law are becoming increasingly specialized. People considering law school might wish to explore various areas of practice, such as health care law, employment law, and international corporate law. Climate change risk is also a growing specialty area due to new rules and litigation risks related to global warming. For some jobs, knowledge of a foreign language is helpful. Knowledge of Washington's Growth Management Act may be helpful for jobs with local governments. Familiarity and experience with electronic discovery issues and tools is becoming more important as more documents are created and stored in digital format.

#Source of e-discovery comment, "E-Discovery curbs pretrial paper work, not data," Journal of Business, Sept. 17, 2009, cj.

Some college counselors recommend that recent law student graduates start looking for work even before they know the results of their bar exam. Students also can network through their school's student bar association and the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association.

#Comment on climate change specialty based on PSBJ Feb. 9-15, 2007, p. 1 article, cj.

#Growth Management Act tip comment based on desired qualifications for attorney for City of Tumwater, June 16, 2006 announcement, cj.

#Added comment on looking for work while waiting for bar exam results & networking 5/5/10 from "Law school grads challenged with tighter legal labor market," Journal of Business, Sept. 17, 2009, cj.

Costs to workers

All workers are required to join the Washington State Bar Association and pay annual dues. Many lawyers must pay for continuing education courses to keep up with changes in the field. Lawyers who have borrowed money to pay school expenses have large debt payments after graduation. In addition, most lawyers choose to pay for errors and omissions insurance, which is also called liability or malpractice insurance. The cost for this insurance varies according to factors such as the size of a firm, how long it has been in business, and the area of law practice.

Licensing/certification

Lawyers practicing in Washington State must be licensed by the State Supreme Court through the Washington State Bar Association. Applicants must pass the Washington State Bar Exam after graduating from an approved law school.

For more information, contact:

Washington State Bar Association 
1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98101-2539
800.945.9722
206.443.9722

#fine 1/21/16 lh, 4/16/18 cj. Changed last 4 digits  of phone # to numbers versus letters, 4/16/19 cj.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Lawyers 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages for experienced lawyers vary widely. They depend on the type, size, and location of the employer. In addition, their area of practice influences wages. Those who work for law firms tend to earn more than those who work for insurance companies or the government. Lawyers who have their own practices generally earn less than those who work in firms with several lawyers.

Most lawyers who work full time for firms receive benefits. Typical benefits include health insurance, sick leave, paid vacation, and a retirement plan. Lawyers who are self-employed must provide their own insurance and retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

In Washington, an emerging specialty is marijuana business law. Growth is expected due to the legalization of recreational marijuana use in Washington State. Competition for jobs will be strong. Few openings are expected with state or local government due to budget cuts. Recent graduates are more likely to find job opportunities with law firms in smaller communities than with major companies in big cities, or by pursuing solo practices.

Many new lawyers have large amounts of debt when they finish law school. According to a report from the nonprofit organization Law School Transparency, recent law school graduates have an average law school debt of $134,497 if they attended a private school and $96,054 if they attended a public school. The level of debt can keep some from pursuing public sector or other public-interest jobs which generally pay less than those in the private sector.

#"According to the American Bar Association, most students on average borrow $125,000 in education loans to attend private law schools and $75,700 to attend public ones. Total average loan debt which includes living expenses may be higher." Removed this & inserted info from Law Sch Transparency cited in ABA article: http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/make_law_school_borrowing_data_public_and_include_it_with_admissions_offers  4/16/18 cj. Didn't see any recent updates to this figure 1/28/19 lh

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

About 20% of lawyers are self-employed. These lawyers work either in law firms or in solo practices.

Major employers:

• Law firms
• Local, state, and federal government agencies
• Finance and Insurance agencies

National outlook

Demand for lawyers will remain steady. People, businesses, and all levels of the government need legal services. There is a trend for companies to hire their own staff attorneys. This means there may be fewer law firms.

Growth will be somewhat reduced by the fact that some firms are trying to cut back on costs. They may hire paralegals to do some tasks that lawyers have done in the past. Also, some people are using mediators to handle their cases. These people may resolve their divorce issues and file their own claims, rather than hire law firms.

Competition for jobs will continue to be strong. This is partly because law schools graduate more lawyers than there are jobs available. The best prospects are for those who are willing to relocate.

Other resources

American Arbitration Association 
1633 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10019
800.778.7879
212.716.5800

American Bar Association 
321 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
312.988.5000

How to Become a Lawyer/Attorney in Washington State 

Law School Admission Council 

National Association for Law Placement (NALP) 
1220 19th Street NW, Suite 401
Washington, DC 20036-2405

National Lawyers Guild 
132 Nassau Street, Room 922
New York, NY 10038
212.679.5100

US Department of Justice 

Washington State Association for Justice 
1809 - 7th Avenue, Suite 1500
Seattle, WA 98101
206.464.1011

Washington State Bar Association 
1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98101
800.945.9722
206.443.9722

Washington State Law Library 
360.357.2136

References

Career cluster

• Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security

Career path

• Enterprising (Business Communications)

O*Net  occupation

• Lawyers (23-1011.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupations

• District Attorney (110.117-010) 
• Insurance Attorney (110.117-014) 
• Lawyer (110.107-010) 
• Lawyer, Admiralty (110.117-018) 
• Lawyer, Corporation (110.117-022) 
• Lawyer, Criminal (110.107-014) 
• Lawyer, Patent (110.117-026) 
• Lawyer, Probate (110.117-030) 
• Lawyer, Real Estate (110.117-034) 
• Tax Attorney (110.117-038) 
• Title Attorney (110.117-042) 

Strong Interest Inventory

• Lawyer

Holland occupational cluster

• Enterprising/Investigative/Artistic

COPSystem

• Business Professional
• Communication