Lawyer Elia Creo

The Career Path

 What is a Lawyer?
 Lawyers are both advocates and advisors.
 They help solve--or prevent--legal problems for
their clients
 represent either the plaintiff (the party filing the
lawsuit) or the defendant (the party defending the
lawsuit)
 Also known as an “attorney,” “counselor,”
“solicitor,” “barrister” or “advocate,”
 Licensed by a State(s) to engage in the practice
of law and advise clients on legal matters.
 The Skills of Lawyers
 Certain basic legal skills are required of
all lawyers.
 Excellent Literacy Skills: Reading, Writing,
Speaking and Listening
 Analyze legal issues in the context of the
applicable Law AND the direction in which the Law
is headed
 Advocate the views of groups and individuals
within the context of the legal system
 Counsel clients on the law's requirements
 Analyze evidence and present arguments to
Court as to why a particular outcome is desirable.
 Negotiate effectively
 Where American Lawyers
Work…
 74% of American lawyers are in private practice,
 most in small, one-person offices and some in large
firms.
 8% % of American lawyers work for local, state
and federal government agencies
 9% of American lawyers work for private
industries and associations as their lawyers
 1% of American lawyers work as public defenders
 1% of American lawyers work in education
 1% of American lawyers work in the Judicial
Branch of Federal Government in D.C.
 About 5% are retired or inactive
 Becoming a Lawyer
1. Complete your bachelor’s degree
 4 year undergraduate degree
 Any Major, but many lawyers major in Pre-Law or
Political Science
2. Graduate from Law School
 is a three year program
 (four years or more if you attend part-time)
3. Pass the Bar Exam of your State to become
Licensed
 a written examination
 The Law School Admissions test
(LSAT)
 is a law school entrance exam
administered four times a year at
hundreds of locations.
 This half-day test provides a standard
measure of reading and verbal reasoning
skills.
 Law schools use the LSAT score as one of
several factors in assessing law school
applicants.
Best Law Schools, according to
US News and World Report
1. Yale University 6. New York University
2. Harvard 7. University of
University Michigan-Ann Arbor
3. Stanford 8. University of Penn
University 9. University of
California—
4. Columbia
Berkeley
University
10. University of
5. University of Virginia
Chicago
 Some Specialty Areas
within a Law Degree
1. Family Law
2. Consumer Rights
3. International Law
4. Dispute Resolution
5. Legal Writing
6. Healthcare Law
7. Environmental Law
8. Intellectual Property Law: patents, trademarks, copyrights
9. Tax Law
10. Civil Rights
11. Employment
12. Real Estate
13. Personal Injury
14. Business Law
15. Children’s Advocacy and Rights Law
16. Bankruptcy
17. Sports and Entertainment
18. Ecommerce and Cyberspace Laws
19. Public Defense
20. Prosecutors and District Attorneys – work the State or Federal
government
 Salaries
 varies greatly depending on a lawyer’s
practice setting, geographic location,
demand for that specialty
 The median annual earnings of all lawyers
in 2011 were $114,930
 While starting salaries for private practice attorneys
in large Cities, such as Philly, Boston and New York
range from $135,000 to $160,000,
 attorneys in the public sector, such as public
defenders and district attorneys, earn much less
 Job Outlook in 2012
 Employment of lawyers is expected to grow 13
percent during the 2015-20 decade
 Growth in the population and in the level of
business activity is expected to create more:
 legal transactions, civil disputes, and criminal cases.

 healthcare, intellectual property,

bankruptcy, corporate litigation, and
environmental law.
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