The best opportunities for legal counsels, or attorneys, are often at law firms or corporations.
A significant number of legal counsels also work in various levels of the government. Most of these lawyers work at the local level. In the federal government, lawyers work for many different agencies, but are concentrated in the Departments of Justice, Treasury, and Defense.
Other legal counsel jobs are within public utilities, banks, insurance companies, real-estate agencies, manufacturing firms, and other business firms and nonprofit organizations.
Still some have part-time independent practices, while others work part time as lawyers and full time in another occupation.
A small portion of lawyers enjoy working as trained attorneys in law schools and educate those looking to become lawyers.
While competition among lawyers is fierce, the industry is expected to grow 13 percent over the next few years, according to the BLS.
Population explosions and growth in business activity is expected to create more legal transactions, civil disputes, and criminal cases.
Job growth among lawyers also will result from increasing demand for legal services in such areas as healthcare, intellectual property, bankruptcy, corporate and security litigation, antitrust law, and environmental law.
The duties of a lawyer vary widely, but for the most part they act as both advocates and advisors. On behalf of defendants and plaintiffs, they represent represent them in criminal and civil trials by presenting evidence and arguing in court to support their client.
Lawyers also counsel their clients about their legal rights and obligations and suggest particular courses of action in business and personal matters.
Some lawyers appear in court more frequently then others, while some never see a courtroom during their enter career. Almost all lawyers cite research as a major aspect of their job. Intense research and combing through evidence and files are consistent job duties.
Trial lawyers spend most of their time researching outside of the courtroom. They interview clients and witnesses and prepare convincing arguments for trial.
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, lawyers can specialize in a number of areas, such as bankruptcy, probate, international, elder, or environmental law. Those specializing in environmental law may represent interest groups, waste disposal companies, or construction firms in their dealings with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other federal and state agencies.
Sometimes attorneys are employed full time by a single client. If the client is a corporation, the lawyer is known as “house counsel” and usually advises the company concerning legal issues related to its business activities.
Lawyers who work in private practice typically specialize in one or more particular areas. They may handle traffic court cases, family custody matters, divorce proceedings, or criminal cases. Other attorneys handle civil law cases such as litigation, wills, trusts, contracts, mortgages, titles, and leases.
The most common type of lawyer we think of is the criminal lawyer. These types of lawyers represent individuals who have been convicted of a crime. The lawyer's ultimate goal is to get the client acquitted. However if the client has confessed and pled guilty, it may become the lawyer job to get a lesser sentence.
If a client is already in prison, a lawyer may help him or her through the appeals office.
