Law Firm: A General Overview
Law firms handle all sorts of legal cases, including personal injury and also property damage. If you have been in an automobile accident and as a result, through no fault of your own, have suffered bodily injury or a damaged or destroyed vehicle, then you will want to get in touch with a law firm.
Seventy five percent of the over one million licensed attorneys in the US work under private practice. Lawyers in private practice work either in a solo practice or in a law firm consisting of two or more attorneys.
Lawyers employed by a firm work as either partners or associates. Partners share both the profits and risks,
while associates are those who have not yet realized full partnership status. Firms also employ the help of other types of legal ones including clerks, legal secretaries, litigation support, IT personnel, administrators, file clerks, legal nurse consultants and marketing professionals.
Practitioners who work in a solo practice often act as a "jack of all trades". These professionals offer legal services in a broad range of areas. This is in contrast to professionals involved with larger practices who typically specialize in one or two designated aspects of the legal system.
Some common specialties are:
1. Labor and Employment
2. Appellate
3. Family
4. Taxes
5. Criminal
6. Bankruptcy
Billing
These professionals are given the task of tracking each and every minute of their time in order to bill the client. Practices often impose large monthly and yearly billable hour requirements on their partners, paralegals, and associates, making law firm employment one of the most stressful and demanding environments in the corporate world.
Hours
Long hours are often required of employees in order to generate revenue. However, while many attorneys often work 50 to 80 hours per week, not all practices run as such. Each business has their own requirements and culture.
Balancing Work and Life
In many cases, the demand for time placed on professionals limit their ability to pursue activities outside the office. A recent study composed by the Texas Bar Associate found the 18% would exchange fewer hours for a decrease in compensation, provided treatment and advancement opportunities would not be compromised.
Education
Lawyers must undergo an extensive line of training to become licensed. While requirements vary by state, the general education includes:
1. Four-year undergraduate degree
2. Three years of law school education
3. Passing of the state bar exam
4. Passing of the ethics exam
After completing the process, many individuals begin applying to firms in their area. The career goes from there. As stated above, there are many various positions within the legal field, along with a bundle of specialties to choose from. Although the road to becoming part of a law firm is a long one, many find the rewards far outweigh any downside they can find.
