Personal injury lawyers are civil litigators who represent clients – commonly referred to as plaintiffs – alleging psychological or physical injury as result of negligence or careless acts by another person, company, entity, government agency or organization. Personal injury lawyers practice in an area known as tort law. This area of law specializes in civic or private wrongs or injuries, monetary or nonmonetary damages. This includes defamation and actions of bad faith or breach of contract to a person’s reputation, rights or property.
Although personal injury lawyers are armed with licenses to practice in all facets of law, they usually handle cases falling within tort law, such as work injuries, flawed products, accidents caused by slips and falls, road accidents and other related accidents. Personal injury lawyers help their clients secure compensation for losses incurred. These losses include the loss of capacity to earn, inability to perform normal duties, suffering, and pain. They also include expenses that may arise, the loss of companionship, legal costs, emotional distress and attorney fees.
The attorney will ensure clients are safe from being victimized by companies that offer insurance and the established legal system. Personal injury lawyers are often referred to as trial lawyers, although most of their cases are settled before going for a full trial.
What are the duties of a personal injury lawyer?
Personal injury lawyers have many duties in aiding their clients. These duties include both ethical and professional codes of conduct and rules provided for by the associations that license the lawyers. Once the state bar association licenses them to practice law, the lawyers can file complaints in court, argue cases, prepare legal documents and offer professional legal advice to plaintiffs of personal injury.
Personal injury lawyers have the sole responsibility for talking to and interviewing clients and assessing their cases. They further identify the pertinent issues within the client’s case, and thereafter conduct research to build a solid case. The most important professional mandate of a personal injury lawyer is to help clients obtain the compensation and justice they deserve after undergoing losses and suffering. This is done through client counseling, advocacy, legal advice and oral arguments. The case normally heads for trial when both parties fail to reach an amicable settlement.
Personal injury lawyers are expected to follow strict set principles of legal ethics when executing their mandate with clients. While the specified guidelines vary from state to state, each lawyer is expected to evaluate legal issues while exercising due diligence in any legal matter commenced. They owe plaintiffs the onus of confidentiality and allegiance as they work to protect their client’s best interests and not their own.
What are the credentials of a personal injury lawyer?
To successfully practice personal injury law, passing a written bar exam is mandatory in addition to a written ethics exam. These examinations vary from state to state. The majority of states require applicants to have a college degree and a law degree from an institution that is accredited. Non-accredited law schools have minimum set requirements before they are permitted to offer these courses.
As a prerequisite, most states require a Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), a Multistate Essay Examination, a Multistate Expert Responsibility Exam and a set state bar exam as a prerequisite. Other states incorporate a Multistate Performance Test as well.
Once qualified and admitted to the bar, they are required to keep abreast with the current development in their fields by continually taking legal education courses. These courses are designed to ensure that personal injury lawyers remain updated in law-related developments, with the number of required hours varying from state to state.
Personal injury lawyers tend to concentrate on specific areas of law. By specializing, they are able to amass the required knowledge and experience to take them to the top of their field. There is a special certification program that personal injury lawyers must complete before they are referred to as specialists. The American Bar Association is responsible for this certification. Although individual states regulate their own lawyers, they still adhere to rules of professional responsibility as stated in the United States Constitution.
These certification programs come with set standards of knowledge, competence and experience that must be attained before personal injury lawyers are called specialists.
Once personal injury lawyers pass the bar exam and are licensed, they can deviate to any specialty within the law profession. However, legal ethics demand that inexperienced lawyers should not represent a client without first enlisting help or learning the issue at hand. To provide the highest quality representation for their clients, most lawyers prefer sticking to a particular area of law, thereby dedicating all of their resources to this area. Within personal injury, a lawyer has a massive number of possible claims. These include accidents, product liability, medical malpractice, wrongful death, workplace injury and more. Some lawyers choose to go further and devote all of their energy and time to a single area of litigation in the personal injury law field, becoming very thorough and experienced at arguing specific types of cases such as work accidents, aviation accidents or medical mistakes.
What is the career makeup of a personal injury lawyer?
Personal injury lawyers are free to start private practice by themselves, join a midsize firm or opt for a large firm as an associate. They are also free to partner. The ones who enter private practice offer more individualized advantages to clients. These practitioners usually take on smaller cases and charge lower fees. In terms of numbers, small law firms usually have two to ten lawyers, midsized law firms have ten to fifty. Big law firms often have more than 50 lawyers.
How is a personal injury lawyers usually compensated?
Professional fees are based on a number of factors, including energy, time, outcome, difficulty, prominence, the experience of the lawyer, and the associated costs of the case. A lawyer may offer the plaintiff a number of payment options, including contingency fees, flat fees, hourly rates and retainers. The most common option is the contingency fee. This protects the client because payment is pegged on the success of the case. Here the lawyer receives a percentage of the awarded amount after a successful trial or settlement. The average mark is 30 percent of the awarded amount. An hourly charge is also a common option. This is where the plaintiff pays for every hour the lawyer represents them. A flat fee option is also available. A flat fee is paid prior to the commencement of the trial. Lastly, some options combine all or more than one of the above options.…
Family lawyers are very common, but what should you know about hiring one? This guide lists 5 things to know about hiring a family law attorney.
According to the latest data, there are more than 63,000 family law practices in the United States. Are you thinking about hiring a family attorney to help you with your case?
Before you go ahead and recruit the services of the first person you find online, remember that there are some crucial things to consider when hiring a family law attorney. Listed below are five of the most important factors to keep in mind during your search.
1. What Does a Family Lawyer Do?
What is family law? What do family lawyers do? These are common questions, so don’t feel bad if you’re still unsure about whether or not a family attorney is an appropriate person to assist with your case.
Put simply, family lawyers take on cases that have to do with family-related problems. Some common issues that these lawyers handle include the following:…
If you have experience within law and are interested in pursuing it in the long term, then it might be time to set up your own law firm. And once you have a professional business plan in place that documents your startup lifecycle strategy, there’s no reason why it can’t become a success.
However, the decision to start your own firm is one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. To be successful within the industry, you need to have the revenue in place (either through a loan or money that you have saved) and will need to put significant time and effort into it. But if you are ready for the challenge, then it can be a very fruitful and rewarding venture in the long term.
Here are 7 key reasons why you should set up your own law firm:
1) You Can Specialize in The Area of Law You’re Interested and Experienced In
No matter where your experience lies, whether it is in family law, corporate law or criminal law, you can create a law firm around it. This flexibility is very appealing to lawyers that want to focus on one area in particular – rather than a combination of different types.
No longer will you be constrained to practice a certain type depending on where you work. Now, you can build your law firm around an area of law that you are interested in. This is perhaps the most common reason why so many lawyers start a firm of their own.
2) You Can Choose When/Where You Work
Following on from the above, two more elements that will be flexible are – when you work and the location you work from. In the past, it’s likely that you compromised on these because you worked for a bigger law firm with constraints.
But now, you’re the boss and you are in control of this! So you can decide exactly where the office is based around the country and the specific hours that you work. Although this might feel like a daunting prospect at first, with the right planning and organization, it could be a benefit that you appreciate.
3) You Will See The Money the Firm Makes
In some cases, when you work for a big firm you hardly see the money that it makes from each case it takes on. However, when you start up your own law firm, you’ll see the value of working with each client.
Getting a bigger share of the profits, you won’t have to deal with a hierarchical structure. From there, you can start to grow your business and hire more staff or take on more complex cases.
4) You’re in Charge of Hiring Staff
When you work for a larger firm, you don’t have any control over who you work with. This may have led to work dissatisfaction, which had an effect on the service that you delivered clients. However, this will soon become a thing of the past as your business starts to find its feet.
As the owner of your law firm, you have the opportunity to hire staff that aren’t only experienced in law and reliable, but that will fit into your law firm perfectly.
You can also decide exactly how many staff members you’ll require – which could differ depending on whether you are starting out as a solo practitioner or looking to have a bigger team. Some people may also choose to partner with another lawyer, rather than go into this venture on their own.
5) You Have Greater Control Over The Cases
Another prominent reason why so many people opt to start their own law firm is that it gives them control over the cases they work on. You’ll no longer have to take on cases that you deem to be baseless – now you can ensure that you’re offering a service that’s useful and relevant to your clients.
Previously, it’s likely that you had to work on cases simply because you were directed to do so by your superiors. But now, you will have the choice as to which clients you represent. Becoming so much more than just numbers on the rota, your law firm will be seen as a reputable and trustworthy business.
6) Your Previous Clients Will Want Work with You
If you have years of experience working in law, chances are you have a catalogue of happy and loyal clients. Once you start your own law firm, there’s a high chance that these clients will follow you as they are familiar with what you have to offer. The basis from which you can grow your company, these clients can provide you with useful testimonials and reviews.
However, it’s important to realize that it’s likely that not all of your clients will follow through when the time comes. Therefore, it’s a good idea to try and appeal to as many new clients as possible from the outset. Any clients that you’ve previously worked with that do follow you will then be a bonus.
) You’re Craving a Challenge
As aforementioned, starting your own law firm is a challenge. And one that many people aren’t fully prepared for. But if you are ready for the challenge and want to push yourself, then it can be a decision that will transform our life.
Not only will you have to market yourself and network at events so that you can acquire new clients, but you will have to ensure that you’re delivering excellent services to each of them. All this while adding a touch of your personality may be overwhelming to some.
But by sitting back, reevaluating and taking on the fear you’ll recognize that the end result is worth it.
Final Thoughts
Those are just 7 of the key reasons why you should set up your own law firm. No matter where you’re located in the world, where your experience lies and what cases you take on, your law firm stands a chance of becoming one of the most competitive within the industry.…
Earning a law degree and being admitted to the bar unfortunately no longer guarantees a job in a law firm. Even before the pandemic, only about 60% of law firms were looking towards hiring new attorneys. This number is likely even lower now that we are in a pandemic recession. Considering these facts, you might want to explore hanging up your own shingle. Since the thought of starting a firm can be overwhelming, here are the tried and true steps from those who have gone before you.
Here are the Steps to Establish a Family Law Firm
1. Find Your Niche
Your law firm will benefit the most from focusing on a particular niche market. Focus on your niche before your law firm ever accepts its first client so that you set yourself up for success when it does.
You’ve picked a niche in becoming a family law attorney. Do you want to address all areas of family law, or do you want to narrow your practice even further into sub-specialties such as international adoption, LGBTQ family issues, or high-asset divorce, for instance?
What training, education, and experience have you acquired that most other people in your niche have not? Outside of the practice of law, how can you best connect with your target market?
Your website and social media platforms should make your niche clear to prospective clients. You can use these platforms as a place to market your services and tell potential law clients why they should hire you instead of the competition.
2. Register Your Business
Before starting a law firm of any type, you need to register your business with your state’s Department of Corporations. Companies need to register to be official in the state’s eyes (s) they operate in.
However, before taking this step, it’s necessary to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) with the IRS. This number is unique to your firm and is required to file both state and federal income taxes and for reporting your employee’s income taxes, including any revenue you pay yourself.
Upon registering your business with the state, you will also need to provide the following information:
Officer name(s) and their primary mailing address
A registered agent, along with their address
A registered agent is someone authorized to accept service of process on behalf of the firm if a lawsuit is filed against it.
3. Reserve a Unique and Memorable Domain Name for Your Website
In today’s digital age, no company or firm will survive without some sort of online presence. If you can’t be found online, you likely don’t exist with your potential clients. The first step in building an online presence is to reserve a domain name.
The web address or URL someone uses to access a website is a domain name. Getting one might seem like a minor detail in the grand scheme of establishing your law firm; however, it’s imperative to your business’s short- and long-term success.
Select a domain name that is exclusive to your family law firm, but don’t let it get overly long or complicated. Domain names that are wordy, confusing, or difficult to recall may not be found by your potential clients when they go to find you online.
You should provide prospective clients who want to visit your website with a smooth and effortless process. If that’s not what they experience, they will most likely look elsewhere online for their legal service needs. Don’t let something as simple as a difficult domain name deter prospective clients from getting the help you offer.
4. Create an Optimized Website
A short and catchy domain name for users is a necessary step. Still, you’ll need to develop a website that’s built for search engine optimization (SEO).
SEO (search engine optimization) is a form of internet marketing. It can help your website rank higher in search engine results. A website’s SEO can make the difference between having it readily visible on the internet or being buried in millions of results and ultimately overlooked.
As a future business owner, you might be alarmed to learn that 75% of Google users never scroll past the first page of search results. If you can’t get your website to rank on this first page, preferably in the first few results, it can be very difficult to get the clients you need to keep your business afloat.
For instance, if you’re a Seattle lawyer working on divorce cases, you’ll want to rank on the first page of Google results for “Seattle divorce attorneys.” Ways to optimize your website’s rankings include:
Using videos and photographs
Regularly posting blog content that uses searchable keywords and phrases
You may even want to consider hiring an experienced SEO marketing firm to help you create a website that will take your law firm to the next level.
5. Utilize Your Networking Power
One pillar of business success is networking. Simply put, don’t hesitate to tell other people what your vision is and what your law firm is doing. If you’ve been working in private practice for another firm before starting your own, you’ve likely developed an extensive professional network.
It might seem silly but, take the time to create a list of names in your professional network. Doing so will help you comprehend the depth of your connections and ensure you don’t forget anyone. Once you’ve identified all the members of your network, send an announcement in the form of a letter or an email to let everyone in your network know what you’re doing.
A professional network is a valuable and easy way to produce leads and referrals for your law firm. It might also be the key to getting your family law firm off the ground when you first open your doors.
Follow These Steps to Establish a Successful Family Law Firm
Starting a business of any kind is a challenge. Getting past the first year or two can be a relief, but it doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Sadly, more than half of all entrepreneurs fail after their fifth year in business. However, you don’t need to contribute to that statistic and can help avoid it by following these steps to establish a family law firm.…
Family law is a legal practice area that focuses on issues involving family relationships such as marriage, adoption, divorce, and child custody, among others. Attorneys practicing family law can represent clients in family court proceedings or in related negotiations. They can also draft important legal documents such as court petitions or property agreements.
Some family law attorneys even specialize in adoption, paternity, emancipation, or other matters not usually related to divorce. The matter of family encompasses so many life aspects. Lawyers in the field, therefore, help all kinds of people facing all kinds of sensitive issues that many people wouldn't immediately assume go under the family law umbrella.
The following is a primer on family law and what it entails.
Helpful Terms to Know
Emancipation: A court process through which a minor becomes self-supporting, assumes adult responsibility for their personal welfare, and is no longer under the care of their parents.
Marital Property: Property acquired by either spouse during the course of a marriage that is subject to division upon divorce.
Alimony: An allowance made to one spouse by the other for support during or after a legal separation or divorce.
Paternity: Origin or descent from a father (to establish paternity is to confirm the identity of a child's biological father).
Prenuptial Agreement: An agreement made between a man and a woman before marrying in which they give up future rights to each other's property in the event of a divorce or death.
Reasons to Hire a Family Law Attorney
Most family lawyers represent clients in divorce proceedings and other matters related to divorce. But family law is a relatively broad practice area, including such issues as foster care and reproductive rights. Since family law matters hit so close to home, having a trusted legal professional by your side can help you ensure your loved ones are properly represented and protected during any legal process.
The most common reasons to hire a family law attorney include:
Divorce: Each partner hires their own attorney, who will help devise a settlement plan in order to avoid a trial. Divorce attorneys typically are skilled at dividing marital property, calculating spousal support, and proposing a plan for child custody, visitation, and support (if applicable).
Child Custody / Child Support: Court orders and settlement agreements involving both custody and support usually are included in the larger divorce case, but may be revisited as conditions change. For instance, child support may be altered after the non-custodial parent's financial situation changes.
Paternity: In most cases, paternity cases are filed by the mother in an effort to secure child support payments from an absent father. But sometimes biological fathers file for paternity in order to have a relationship with their child. Paternity typically is determined through DNA testing.
Adoption / Foster Care: Adoption is a complex process that differs according to the type of adoption, where the child is from, variances in state laws, and other factors. Therefore, it's important to consult with a family law attorney. Foster parents sometimes adopt their foster children, but the foster process does not necessarily require legal representation.
Related Practice Areas
Family law often intersects with a wide range of other legal practice areas. For example, instances of domestic violence and child abuse typically involve criminal investigations (and may result in arrests and charges). Along with that process, family courts are tasked with determining how to best protect the victims and ensure a relatively safe environment for those involved. Other related legal practice areas include the following:
States have the right to determine "reasonable formal requirements" for marriage, including age and legal capacity, as well as the rules and procedures for divorce and other family law matters.
The timeframe of the divorce process, for example, depends on location. Some states have divorce laws that require a waiting period. Same-sex marriage has historically been a state matter. Prior to the Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, some states restricted marriage (and divorce) to opposite-sex couples only.
Need Help With a Family Law Matter? Talk to a Professional
Whether you're in the process of a divorce, need help with an adoption, or have questions about enforcing a child support order, it's often in your best interests to work with an attorney. Get the help you need by contacting an experienced family law attorney near you.…
There are many benefits of law school beyond the ability to practice law once you graduate. Law school provides students with a good foundation of highly desirable skills that allow them to also work in other industries. Evaluating the benefits of attending law school can help you prepare for a career and determine how it can be advantageous to your goals. In this article, we discuss some of the benefits of law school.
Why choose a career in law?
Working in a career in legal industry can provide you with a challenging, yet rewarding career. Employees who work in the legal industry are able to develop analytical and problem-solving skills. With these skills, they have the ability to solve problems, sometimes right in their own communities. Law careers are versatile and flexible, making them a good career for people who enjoy an ever-changing schedule.
Because there are so many types of law, a career in the legal industry can also allow you to choose a field that interests you most. You can represent clients in real estate transactions, family disagreements, contract disputes, or even work with businesses in evaluating contracts. The services of a lawyer are always in demand as people must deal with contracts and conflicts regularly.
Whether you decide to pursue a career working as a lawyer, or you want to complete a law school education as a backup, the skills and knowledge earned from a law school degree can be valuable.
There are many benefits of law school that go beyond even working as a lawyer, including:
Development of desirable skills
A law school education develops certain desirable skills that can be used in a wide variety of careers. Law school can help develop critical thinking and logical reasoning skills. it can also help develop analytical thinking, which can be applied to many industries. The law school also strengthens your reading, writing, project management, and problem-solving skills.
The law school also requires you to develop research skills, as you build cases and defenses based on prior precedents. Research skills are transferable to numerous industries.
Contracts can be a part of daily life, whether you are accepting a new job or signing an agreement at work. A law school education can provide you with the research skills you need to learn how to review contracts. Most careers will require you to work with some type of contract and your training will help you review the fine print of each contract.
Provide you with a foundation for further education
A law school degree can also be a good foundation for further education. Even if you decide to pursue a career in a different industry, law school can help you prepare for other them, including politics, finance, media, real estate, academics, and entrepreneurship. A law school education not only gives you the skills you need to do well in these academic programs, but it can also make you a more competitive college applicant.
Social change opportunities
A law school education can help you make a difference in your community. It gives you the knowledge and opportunity to take action on issues of social injustice and inequality. With a law degree, you have the chance to make a positive difference. This can also qualify you for additional positions within the community, as a representative or working for a nonprofit organization.
Being admitted and fulfilling the requirements of law school is no easy task. A law school degree can improve your credibility and highlight your dedication as an employee. Graduating with a J.D. can earn you respect and make you a highly qualified candidate, regardless of the type of career chosen. The hard work that goes into a law degree can also make you a highly competitive candidate for earning a promotion at work.
Development of soft skills
The law school also helps you develop certain soft skills, like self-confidence and leadership. The coursework and training provided in law school can make you a more confident and effective debater, presenter, and overall employee. Your education can also help with developing verbal and nonverbal communication skills as you learn to actively listen and prepare your responses.
A law degree also strengthens problem-solving skills, which are crucial in many careers. The development of these soft skills can not only make you a more competitive candidate in regards to your resume, but it can also make you a more confident interviewer.
Develop a better understanding of the law
By completing law school, you will also have a better understanding of the law and your legal rights. This could be beneficial when negotiating employment contracts or facilitating a work deal. Whether you are seeking a promotion at work or you want to pursue a new career, skills in negotiations and evaluating contracts are always desirable.
Additional employment opportunities
Even if you decide to pursue a career other than law, you will always have the option to return to the legal industry to work as a lawyer. While law school can develop your skills for many different careers, you may decide to pursue a career as a lawyer. Additionally, lawyers usually have a high average salary, which can be a bonus.
Opportunity for hands-on experience
Many law schools require internship experience, which gives you the opportunity to develop skills with hands-on experience. You will get the chance to work closely with people, solve problems and analyze information. During these hands-on experiences, you will learn to work with people of all types and find unique ways to solve problems.
An internship can also help you take soft skills and apply them in real situations. This gives you an advantage when applying for new positions, especially against other entry-level candidates.
The ability to network
Law school can provide you with valuable networking opportunities. In addition to the staff who come from all backgrounds, you will develop close working relationships with peers. These peers will go on to work in many different industries, which may be important to your career path. Whether you are looking for a new job or you need resources in your current position, your prior law school peers can be a good resource.
Develop entrepreneurial skills
Attending law school can provide you with a good foundation for becoming an entrepreneur. You will have the skills you need to review contracts, ensuring you always get the best deal. Your developed skills in negotiations and conflict resolution will also be useful as you build your business. Also, having a law school degree can make you a credible business owner, helping you earn the trust of your customers.
The following are 10 law school personal statement examples written by applicants who were successfully accepted to multiple law schools after working with our admissions experts as part of our application review programs. Your law school personal statement is one of the most important parts of your application and is your best opportunity to show admissions officers who you are behind your numbers and third-party assessments. Because of its importance, many students find the personal statement to be daunting and demanding of the full scope of their skills as writers. Today we're going to review these excellent law school personal statement examples from past successful applicants and provide some proven strategies from a former admissions officer that can help you prepare your own stellar essay.
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Law School Personal Statements: More Than Just Following Directions
Students are always asking how to write a personal statement for law school, particularly one that stands out from all the rest. After all, advice from most universities can often be quite vague. Take this zinger from the University of Chicago: “Write about something personal, relevant, and completely individual to you… Just be yourself.” For motivated students with the world at their fingertips, it’s a tough ask to narrow your character down into a few hundred words! But this is exactly the point of such generic guidelines—to challenge aspiring law students to produce something unique and convincing with minimal direction by the university. Law is, after all, a profession that demands your language to be persuasive, and the personal statement is merely one of many exercises where you can demonstrate your language skills.
While the law school personal statement is about far more than just following essay directions, you still need to keep basic formatting and length restrictions in mind. Most law schools ask for a 2-page personal statement, but lengths can range from 2-4 pages. Georgetown, for instance, recommends a 2-page personal statement but explicitly states that there is no official minimum or maximum. In general, length does not make a personal statement better. Rambling, meandering sentences and tiresome descriptions will only hurt the impact of your ideas, especially considering how many thousands of pages admissions committees have to churn through each year.
Here's Another Law School Personal Statement Example: #2
In my home community, the belief is that the law is against us. The law oppresses and victimizes. I must admit that as a child and young person I had this opinion based on my environment and the conversations around me. I did not understand that the law could be a vehicle for social change, and I certainly did not imagine I had the ability and talents to be a voice for this change. I regularly attended my high school classes because I enjoyed the discussions and reading for English and history, and writing came easily to me, but I wasn’t committed to getting good grades because I felt I had no purpose. My mindset changed as I spent time with Mark Russell, a law student who agreed to mentor and tutor me as part of a “high school to law school” mentorship program. Every week, for three years, Mark and I would meet. At first, Mark tutored me, but I quickly became an “A” student, not only because of the tutoring, but because my ambitions were uncorked by what Mark shared with me about university, the law, and his life. I learned grades were the currency I needed to succeed. I attended mock trials, court hearings, and law lectures with Mark and developed a fresh understanding of the law that piqued an interest in law school. My outlook has changed because my mentor, my teachers, and my self-advocacy facilitated my growth. Still, injustices do occur. The difference is that I now believe the law can be an instrument for social change, but voices like mine must give direction to policy and resources in order to fight those injustices.Early in my mentorship, I realized it was necessary to be “in the world” differently if I were to truly consider a law career. With Mark’s help and the support of my high school teachers, I learned to advocate for myself and explore opportunities that would expand my worldview as well as my academic skills. I joined a Model UN club at a neighboring high school, because my own school did not have enough student interest to have a club. By discussing global issues and writing decisions, I began to feel powerful and confident with my ability to gather evidence and make meaningful decisions about real global issues. As I built my leadership, writing, and public speaking skills, I noticed a rift developing with some of my friends. I wanted them to begin to think about larger systemic issues outside of our immediate experience, as I was learning to, and to build confidence in new ways. I petitioned my school to start a Model UN and recruited enough students to populate the club. My friends did not join the club as I’d hoped, but before I graduated, we had 2 successful years with the students who did join. I began to understand that I cannot force change based on my own mandate, but I must listen attentively to the needs and desires of others in order to support them as they require.While I learned to advocate for myself throughout high school, I also learned to advocate for others. My neighbors, knowing my desire to be a lawyer, would often ask me to advocate on their behalf with small grievances. I would make phone calls, stand in line with them at government offices, and deal with difficult landlords. A woman, Elsa, asked me to review her rental agreement to help her understand why her landlord had rented it to someone else, rather than renewing her lease. I scoured the rental agreement, highlighted questionable sections, read the Residential Tenancies Act, and developed a strategy for approaching the landlord. Elsa and I sat down with the landlord and, upon seeing my binder complete with indices, he quickly conceded before I could even speak. That day, I understood evidence is the way to justice. My interest in justice grew, and while in university, I sought experiences to solidify my decision to pursue law.Last summer, I had the good fortune to work as a summer intern in the Crown Attorney’s Office responsible for criminal trial prosecutions. As the only pre-law intern, I was given tasks such as reviewing court tapes, verifying documents, and creating a binder with indices. I often went to court with the prosecutors where I learned a great deal about legal proceedings, and was at times horrified by human behavior. This made the atmosphere in the Crown Attorney’s office even more surprising. I worked with happy and passionate lawyers whose motivations were pubic service, the safety and well-being of communities, and justice. The moment I realized justice was their true objective, not the number of convictions, was the moment I decided to become a lawyer.I broke from the belief systems I was born into. I did this through education, mentorship, and self-advocacy. There is sadness because in this transition I left people behind, especially as I entered university. However, I am devoted to my home community. I understand the barriers that stand between youth and their success. As a law student, I will mentor as I was mentored, and as a lawyer, I will be a voice for change.
What’s Great about this Second Law School Personal Statement?
Although the applicant expressed initial reservations about the law generally, the statement tells a compelling story of how the applicant's opinions began to shift and their interest in law began. They use real examples and show how that initial interest, once seeded, grew into dedication and passion. The statement therefore shows adaptability—receptiveness to new information and the ability to change both thought and behavior based on this new information. The writer describes realizing that they needed to be "in the world" differently! It's hard to convey such a grandiose idea without sounding cliche, but through their captivating and chronological narrative the writer successfully convinces the reader that this is the case with copious examples. It’s a fantastic case of showing rather than telling, describing specific causes they were involved with which demonstrate that the applicant is genuinely committed to a career in the law.
This law school personal statement also discusses weighty, relatable challenges that they faced, such as the applicant's original feeling toward law, and the fact that they lost some friends along the way. However, the applicant shows determination to move past these hurdles without self-pity or other forms of navel-gazing. Additionally, this personal statement ends with a conclusion that alludes to why the applicant is suitable for the specific school to which they’re applying and points to their future career plans. The writer manages to craft an extremely immersive and believable story about their path to the present, while also managing to curate the details of this narrative to fit the specific values and mission of the school to which they’re applying.
Here's Another Law School Personal Statement Example: #2
In my home community, the belief is that the law is against us. The law oppresses and victimizes. I must admit that as a child and young person I had this opinion based on my environment and the conversations around me. I did not understand that the law could be a vehicle for social change, and I certainly did not imagine I had the ability and talents to be a voice for this change. I regularly attended my high school classes because I enjoyed the discussions and reading for English and history, and writing came easily to me, but I wasn’t committed to getting good grades because I felt I had no purpose. My mindset changed as I spent time with Mark Russell, a law student who agreed to mentor and tutor me as part of a “high school to law school” mentorship program. Every week, for three years, Mark and I would meet. At first, Mark tutored me, but I quickly became an “A” student, not only because of the tutoring, but because my ambitions were uncorked by what Mark shared with me about university, the law, and his life. I learned grades were the currency I needed to succeed. I attended mock trials, court hearings, and law lectures with Mark and developed a fresh understanding of the law that piqued an interest in law school. My outlook has changed because my mentor, my teachers, and my self-advocacy facilitated my growth. Still, injustices do occur. The difference is that I now believe the law can be an instrument for social change, but voices like mine must give direction to policy and resources in order to fight those injustices.Early in my mentorship, I realized it was necessary to be “in the world” differently if I were to truly consider a law career. With Mark’s help and the support of my high school teachers, I learned to advocate for myself and explore opportunities that would expand my worldview as well as my academic skills. I joined a Model UN club at a neighboring high school, because my own school did not have enough student interest to have a club. By discussing global issues and writing decisions, I began to feel powerful and confident with my ability to gather evidence and make meaningful decisions about real global issues. As I built my leadership, writing, and public speaking skills, I noticed a rift developing with some of my friends. I wanted them to begin to think about larger systemic issues outside of our immediate experience, as I was learning to, and to build confidence in new ways. I petitioned my school to start a Model UN and recruited enough students to populate the club. My friends did not join the club as I’d hoped, but before I graduated, we had 2 successful years with the students who did join. I began to understand that I cannot force change based on my own mandate, but I must listen attentively to the needs and desires of others in order to support them as they require.While I learned to advocate for myself throughout high school, I also learned to advocate for others. My neighbors, knowing my desire to be a lawyer, would often ask me to advocate on their behalf with small grievances. I would make phone calls, stand in line with them at government offices, and deal with difficult landlords. A woman, Elsa, asked me to review her rental agreement to help her understand why her landlord had rented it to someone else, rather than renewing her lease. I scoured the rental agreement, highlighted questionable sections, read the Residential Tenancies Act, and developed a strategy for approaching the landlord. Elsa and I sat down with the landlord and, upon seeing my binder complete with indices, he quickly conceded before I could even speak. That day, I understood evidence is the way to justice. My interest in justice grew, and while in university, I sought experiences to solidify my decision to pursue law.Last summer, I had the good fortune to work as a summer intern in the Crown Attorney’s Office responsible for criminal trial prosecutions. As the only pre-law intern, I was given tasks such as reviewing court tapes, verifying documents, and creating a binder with indices. I often went to court with the prosecutors where I learned a great deal about legal proceedings, and was at times horrified by human behavior. This made the atmosphere in the Crown Attorney’s office even more surprising. I worked with happy and passionate lawyers whose motivations were pubic service, the safety and well-being of communities, and justice. The moment I realized justice was their true objective, not the number of convictions, was the moment I decided to become a lawyer.I broke from the belief systems I was born into. I did this through education, mentorship, and self-advocacy. There is sadness because in this transition I left people behind, especially as I entered university. However, I am devoted to my home community. I understand the barriers that stand between youth and their success. As a law student, I will mentor as I was mentored, and as a lawyer, I will be a voice for change.
What’s Great about this Second Law School Personal Statement?
Although the applicant expressed initial reservations about the law generally, the statement tells a compelling story of how the applicant's opinions began to shift and their interest in law began. They use real examples and show how that initial interest, once seeded, grew into dedication and passion. The statement therefore shows adaptability—receptiveness to new information and the ability to change both thought and behavior based on this new information. The writer describes realizing that they needed to be "in the world" differently! It's hard to convey such a grandiose idea without sounding cliche, but through their captivating and chronological narrative the writer successfully convinces the reader that this is the case with copious examples. It’s a fantastic case of showing rather than telling, describing specific causes they were involved with which demonstrate that the applicant is genuinely committed to a career in the law.
This law school personal statement also discusses weighty, relatable challenges that they faced, such as the applicant's original feeling toward law, and the fact that they lost some friends along the way. However, the applicant shows determination to move past these hurdles without self-pity or other forms of navel-gazing. Additionally, this personal statement ends with a conclusion that alludes to why the applicant is suitable for the specific school to which they’re applying and points to their future career plans. The writer manages to craft an extremely immersive and believable story about their path to the present, while also managing to curate the details of this narrative to fit the specific values and mission of the school to which they’re applying.
Lawyers often are the punchline of many jokes; however, being a lawyer has its benefits. It takes years of hard work and intensive study to become a lawyer; therefore, very few people would choose this career if there were not several excellent benefits of being a lawyer. For those who work hard, the rewards of being an attorney outweigh the cost of achieving your law degree and license to practice law.
The benefits of being a lawyer depend on several factors; however, seven of the most common benefits of being a lawyer include:1. Wide Selection of Career Options
The benefits of being a lawyer include being able to select from a wide variety of career options in the public and private sectors. If your calling is to make the world a safer place for you, your family, and everyone else, you may choose to become a criminal prosecutor. On the other hand, if you believe our criminal justice system is grounded on the principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and everyone has the right to competent legal counsel, you may choose to become a public defender. Of course, some people believe this but choose to be a criminal defense attorney in the private sector because private attorneys tend to earn a great deal more than attorneys in the public sector.
In addition to criminal defense, you may choose from many areas of law including domestic law, real estate, corporate/business law, bankruptcy law, immigration law, or estate planning. If there is a law that covers a particular subject, you can choose to specialize in that specific area. You can also choose to become a sole proprietor who handles several areas of law for many clients or a corporate in-house attorney working for one client.2. Financial Rewards and Emotional Rewards
Among the many benefits of being a lawyer, the financial rewards and emotional rewards are at the top of most college-bound students seeking to study law. Lawyers have the opportunity to earn a lucrative income. The average annual income for an attorney in the United States is $114,970 per year as of 2014 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. The highest 10% of attorneys earned more than $187,200 per year. Salaries of experienced, specialized attorneys can be much, much higher depending on the field, geographical location, employer, and level of experience.
Of course, money is not the only reason why people choose the legal field as their career. The emotional rewards of being an attorney can be even more satisfying than the financial rewards. If you are passionate about your chosen field of law and you believe your top priority is your client, assisting people to achieve a positive outcome for their problem is extremely satisfying. An attorney usually sees a person during one of the worst moments of their life; therefore, it can be extremely rewarding to help this person find a successful resolution to their problem.
3. Mental Stimulation and Intellectual Challenges
Another one of the many benefits of being a lawyer is the mental stimulation an attorney experience when working through complex legal theories, statutes, and case law to find a solution to a legal question. Most lawyers possess exceptional analytical skills including reading and writing skills. Practicing law allows you to use your mental skills each day in effective ways to solve problems for your clients. Because each case is unique, you must use your full mental capabilities to research, speculate, hypothesize, and formulate legal strategies to effectively solve problems for your clients.4. Argue and Debate
Some lawyers never argue a case in a courtroom or they argue very few cases in court. On the other hand, some trial attorneys are in court almost every week arguing a new case. If you enjoy the challenge of going up against another attorney to argue legal theories and points to prove your allegations are correct, becoming an attorney will give you ample opportunity to argue and debate legal theories and various interpretations of the law.
5. Work Environment
For many, the work environment is one of the benefits specifically considered when choosing a career. Most lawyers work in law firms, government agencies, or corporations where they are afforded an actual office with four walls rather than a cubicle in the middle of a “bullpen” from a cubicle. Although things have since changed with the need for social distancing and the ease of working remotely. Being a lawyer typically includes the benefit of having a certain level of prestige that affords you certain benefits that other employees may not receive (i.e. office, ability to set hours, expense accounts, decorating budget, etc.).
6. Skills that Transfer – Alternative Legal Careers
The benefits of being a lawyer do not stop at “being a lawyer.” The skills you learn in law school and in the early years of your practice easily translate into alternative legal careers. Sally Kane wrote about several alternative legal careers in an article published on About.com. Alternative legal careers Kane explores in her article include legal consulting, legal technology, legal publishing, education, administration, banking, finance, dispute resolution, and human resource management.
7. Flexibility
Unpredictable schedules, demanding billable quotas, long hours, and very few days off have been a major complaints of many attorneys. The desire to achieve a better work-life balance has encouraged many firms to work with their employees to provide more flexibility as an attorney. Many law firms are now offering telecommuting, alternative work schedules, tiered pay scales, expanded family leave including maternity and paternity leave, reduced billable hours, and virtual assistants to reduce workload. The benefits of being a lawyer are increasing as law firms and other employers see the value of providing additional flexibility for their employees in increased productivity and efficiency.
What Do Attorneys Say About the Benefits of Being a Lawyer?
The ABA Journal asked for responses to the question, “Why I Love Being a Lawyer.” The responses were varied ranging from helping others to being self-employed and earning a substantial income. The American Bar Association posed a similar question in its Woman Advocate Litigation Section. The answers to the question, “What Have You Found Most Rewarding Being a Lawyer?” are also just as varied as those in the ABA Journal.
For each attorney, the answer to these questions will depend more on the person than on the chosen career. If you are passionate about your career, you are likely to be more satisfied and happy. Regardless of the benefits of being a lawyer, you must like what you do in order to truly enjoy being an attorney and find satisfaction in what you do for others.…
WHAT ARE SOME FACTORS YOU CONSIDER TO BE IMPORTANT IN DEVELOPING A STRONG ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP?
I think maybe the biggest thing is taking all the time that is necessary. Just like in any relationship, a good relationship, trust, or rapport, develops with time. You’re not going to get a good rapport with someone who is only willing to give you ten minutes. You need to be spending a lot of time at every phase.
There has to be great communication, there has to be easy communication. From being able to get a hold of a person, and getting a response within a reasonable time, to them really giving you their time in person or on the phone.
Part of building a rapport is having someone who’s really willing to listen. But, there’s a flip side to that too. You also want to find someone who’s going to give you tough love and who’s going to give you strong advice. You want someone who you respect as a client because the attorney gives it to you straight.
When individuals hire a private defense attorney, they are putting their hard-earned dollars towards trying to defend a case and they’re paying for the experience, they’re paying for an opinion, and they’re always entitled to hear the truth from their lawyer. They’re always entitled to hear what the lawyer thinks and sometimes that’s not going to be what they want to hear. But you definitely don’t want someone who’s just going to tell you what you want to hear and at the end of the process, when the outcome is bad say, well, it’s the judge’s fault or it’s someone else’s fault. You want someone who gives you that balance of listening but also using a firm, experienced hand in guiding you.
HOW DO YOU STRIVE PERSONALLY TO BUILD A STRONG ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP?
I like to spend a lot of time with people from the beginning. I like to spend as much time as I need with them talking. I then tell them, and I think I prove it to them through my actions, that they’ve got access to me 24/7. They’re going to have my cellphone number from the beginning of the representation. They’re going to have ready access to me all the way through the process, that’s part of building a strong rapport.
I really listen to them, which I think is a skill a lot of attorneys don’t bring to the table. I’m always wanting to know what their objectives are, what their goals are, what are they worried about, what are their anxieties. And then I do my very best to give them an honest assessment, to select the best tools and the best tactics, and also to give them some comfort in letting them know, hey, you’re not the first person to have faced this situation, this is not the first time I’ve faced the situation, and there is some predictability to this process here. We can forecast a range of outcomes.
I think that just by giving people more information, as much information as you can, that really builds a rapport. That’s what I always strive to do so that a person always feels like I kept them informed, and always knew what was coming. That they were never surprised by anything and that I had listened to them so that I had the best opportunity to do everything that I could to achieve the best possible legal outcome in their case.
…
If you or someone you care about has been hurt and you want to sue, you’re going to be looking for a personal injury lawyer. These are lawyers who specialize in civil cases where someone has been hurt, in order to pursue damages. The injury in these cases can be physical or psychological (or both), and the case usually alleges negligence or lack of care.
Whether you want to sue another person or an organization, the goal in a personal injury case is the same. Your legal team will try to prove that you suffered an injury because someone else did or neglected to do something. They will try to quantify how that affected you, and more specifically, what it has cost you. Then they will pursue damages, which is a financial settlement to compensate you for your injuries, pain, and suffering.
As you can imagine in a situation where your life is under scrutiny, the lawyer-client relationship is particularly important in personal injury law.
During the process, your lawyer will get to know your life, both before and after the incident. They’ll have to quantify what you have lost in terms of earnings, daily activities, hobbies, personal relationships, and more. Then, they will try to ensure that you are adequately compensated for those losses. At the same time, the opposing defense team will be seeking ways to discredit your claims.
As with everything, the legal process is governed by the Law Society of Alberta’s Code of Conduct, and there are strict rules about solicitor-client privilege and the lawyer-client relationship. Here’s what you need to know.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Very often, the first hurdle your personal injury lawyer will have to clear is establishing if there is a conflict of interest.
In the legal system, conflicts of interest arise when a lawyer has a personal interest in the outcome of a case. This might be because they have direct involvement or because of a third party. An example would be if the defendant is a friend or relative. Or if they have legal or financial ties to a company that is being sued.
A good example of this would be in motor vehicle accident-related cases. You wouldn’t want to hire a lawyer that also works for insurance companies!
Of course, if a lawyer does have an interest in the outcome of a case, they might not provide the same level of service as they would otherwise. This is why the law requires that they refuse to act.
In simpler terms, if a lawyer discovers a conflict of interest, they cannot proceed with the case. This may occur at any stage during the case, although it’s more common to discover these issues early in the process.
Conflicts of interest aren’t always obvious early on though. If your chosen lawyer discovers while working on your case that there is a conflict of interest, they will remove themselves from the case. They may also recommend another lawyer or law firm to take over. This is not because they don’t want to work with you anymore. It’s a legal requirement to ensure that your rights as a client are protected.
FIDUCIARY DUTY
The next important part of the lawyer-client relationship in Alberta is a fiduciary duty. This means that lawyers must always be honest and forthcoming in their dealings with their clients.
The law requires personal injury lawyers (and all other lawyers and solicitors) to act in good faith. This means that they must make the best decisions possible on behalf of their clients, with the information at hand.
It also requires that lawyers be open and honest with their clients. This means your lawyer is required to disclose any information they have that might have an impact on your case or the outcome.
In a nutshell, your lawyer is legally obligated to provide the best possible professional service and to always be driven by your best interests.
SOLICITOR-CLIENT PRIVILEGE
Solicitor-client privilege has had a lot of coverage in popular culture. You’ve probably seen it on countless television shows and in the movies. But, while it’s a very real part of the lawyer-client relationship, it might not be exactly as it is depicted.
Solicitor-client privilege protects communications between a client and his or her lawyer. This means that anything you have told your legal representative in confidence cannot be disclosed without your express permission. This allows clients to speak freely and allows lawyers to get as much information about the client and their case as possible.
Solicitor-client privilege is not absolute though. There are rules that must be followed. The communication must be between the client and their lawyer and must be related to the case. There must also be the intent of confidentiality.
This means that you can’t expect to be covered by the solicitor-client privilege if you choose to have a discussion in a public place, where anyone might overhear the conversation.
Solicitor-client privilege also won’t cover any conversations where any intent to commit fraud or a crime is disclosed. Your lawyer has a duty to protect your privacy and rights, but they are also bound by a code of conduct.
CLIENT DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The lawyer-client relationship in personal injury law is designed to protect clients and ensure that they get the absolute best legal representation possible. But clients also have various duties and responsibilities in ensuring the success of their case. These include:
Provide as much evidence as possible. This may include photographs, correspondence, and documentation. It can take a long time between when an incident occurs and when a case goes to trial, and this is the best way to ensure that the facts from the time of the event are accurately presented.
Be honest with your lawyer. Your lawyer needs to know the facts of the case, regardless of who they might seem to favor. This allows them to build a better case on your behalf. So always tell your lawyer the whole truth.
Treat your lawyer and their team politely and with respect. The process of personal injury law can be long and frustrating, but we’re all on the same team.
Respect our time. During your case, there will be meetings and legal proceedings. It’s important that you attend these meetings and be punctual. We know that you might not be able to attend every discovery or mediation, but if you can’t, let us know. It may be possible to reschedule, and that really is in your own best interests.
Keep your lawyer informed about any changes. If your medical condition changes or new evidence comes to light, it’s important to communicate it as quickly as possible.
All these things allow your personal injury lawyer to provide the best advice and service. The more information your team has, and the better the communication between you and your lawyer, the smoother the process will be.
Personal injury lawsuits can take some time too. This is why it’s important to maintain a good professional relationship and to work together.
WORKING TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS
When a personal injury lawyer takes on your case, they are committing to work to protect your rights. The facts of the case are especially important and will have the biggest bearing on the outcome. But the lawyer-client relationship is a big part of the process too.
Many personal injury cases can take months or even years to conclude, which means that you will be working with your lawyer for a long time. Choose someone that has the right reputation, but also that you have a good rapport with. Then support them by providing as much factual information as possible as soon as you become aware of it.
Personal injury law is not always cut and dried. The plaintiff’s team will be working just as hard to build their case. That is why it’s so important to work together to ensure that your rights are protected.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT LAW FIRM
Working with the right law firm can have an enormous impact on the outcome of your personal injury case. That, in turn, can determine your quality of life going forward. For that reason, it’s critically important to make the right decision when it comes to legal representation.
Your personal injury legal representative should be experienced, and have experience working for clients within the Alberta legal system. They should be compassionate and understand how your accident has affected your life and your livelihood.
Most importantly, if you or someone you care about is injured because of negligence, you deserve to be fairly and appropriately compensated. Accidents and the resulting injuries can have a profound and long-lasting impact on your life. Personal injury lawyers work hard to ensure that their clients can offset that impact financially.
Make sure that you take the time to find the right fit. Review their credentials and their track record. Make sure that they understand your case and empathize with you. The right lawyer-client relationship could be pivotal in the success of your case. Get as much information as possible, so you can make an informed decision.
If you or your family have been injured due to the negligence or actions of someone else, we’d like to talk. Contact our office to discuss your case, to find out more about our personal injury law practice, and to find out if we’re a good fit. We work hard to protect the interests of our clients, and if we’re the right law firm for you, we’ll do the same for you.…
Personal injury lawyers are civil litigators who represent clients – commonly referred to as plaintiffs – alleging psychological or physical injury as result of negligence or careless acts by another person, company, entity, government agency or organization. Personal injury lawyers practice in an area known as tort law. This area of law specializes in civic or private wrongs or injuries, monetary or nonmonetary damages. This includes defamation and actions of bad faith or breach of contract to a person’s reputation, rights or property.
Although personal injury lawyers are armed with licenses to practice in all facets of law, they usually handle cases falling within tort law, such as work injuries, flawed products, accidents caused by slips and falls, road accidents and other related accidents. Personal injury lawyers help their clients secure compensation for losses incurred. These losses include the loss of capacity to earn, inability to perform normal duties, suffering, and pain. They also include expenses that may arise, the loss of companionship, legal costs, emotional distress and attorney fees.
The attorney will ensure clients are safe from being victimized by companies that offer insurance and the established legal system. Personal injury lawyers are often referred to as trial lawyers, although most of their cases are settled before going for a full trial.
Family lawyers are very common, but what should you know about hiring one? This guide lists 5 things to know about hiring a family law attorney.
According to the latest data, there are more than 63,000 family law practices in the United States. Are you thinking about hiring a family attorney to help you with your case?
Before you go ahead and recruit the services of the first person you find online, remember that there are some crucial things to consider when hiring a family law attorney. Listed below are five of the most important factors to keep in mind during your search.
If you have experience within law and are interested in pursuing it in the long term, then it might be time to set up your own law firm. And once you have a professional business plan in place that documents your startup lifecycle strategy, there’s no reason why it can’t become a success.
However, the decision to start your own firm is one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. To be successful within the industry, you need to have the revenue in place (either through a loan or money that you have saved) and will need to put significant time and effort into it. But if you are ready for the challenge, then it can be a very fruitful and rewarding venture in the long term.
Getting a bigger share of the profits, you won’t have to deal with a hierarchical structure. From there, you can start to grow your business and hire more staff or take on more complex cases.
Earning a law degree and being admitted to the bar unfortunately no longer guarantees a job in a law firm. Even before the pandemic, only about 60% of law firms were looking towards hiring new attorneys. This number is likely even lower now that we are in a pandemic recession. Considering these facts, you might want to explore hanging up your own shingle. Since the thought of starting a firm can be overwhelming, here are the tried and true steps from those who have gone before you.
One pillar of business success is networking. Simply put, don’t hesitate to tell other people what your vision is and what your law firm is doing. If you’ve been working in private practice for another firm before starting your own, you’ve likely developed an extensive professional network.
It might seem silly but, take the time to create a list of names in your professional network. Doing so will help you comprehend the depth of your connections and ensure you don’t forget anyone. Once you’ve identified all the members of your network, send an announcement in the form of a letter or an email to let everyone in your network know what you’re doing.
A professional network is a valuable and easy way to produce leads and referrals for your law firm. It might also be the key to getting your family law firm off the ground when you first open your doors.
Family law is a legal practice area that focuses on issues involving family relationships such as marriage, adoption, divorce, and child custody, among others. Attorneys practicing family law can represent clients in family court proceedings or in related negotiations. They can also draft important legal documents such as court petitions or property agreements.
Some family law attorneys even specialize in adoption, paternity, emancipation, or other matters not usually related to divorce. The matter of family encompasses so many life aspects. Lawyers in the field, therefore, help all kinds of people facing all kinds of sensitive issues that many people wouldn't immediately assume go under the family law umbrella.
The following is a primer on family law and what it entails.
1. Wide Selection of Career Options
The benefits of being a lawyer include being able to select from a wide variety of career options in the public and private sectors. If your calling is to make the world a safer place for you, your family, and everyone else, you may choose to become a criminal prosecutor. On the other hand, if you believe our criminal justice system is grounded on the principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and everyone has the right to competent legal counsel, you may choose to become a public defender. Of course, some people believe this but choose to be a criminal defense attorney in the private sector because private attorneys tend to earn a great deal more than attorneys in the public sector.
In addition to criminal defense, you may choose from many areas of law including domestic law, real estate, corporate/business law, bankruptcy law, immigration law, or estate planning. If there is a law that covers a particular subject, you can choose to specialize in that specific area. You can also choose to become a sole proprietor who handles several areas of law for many clients or a corporate in-house attorney working for one client.
2. Financial Rewards and Emotional Rewards
Among the many benefits of being a lawyer, the financial rewards and emotional rewards are at the top of most college-bound students seeking to study law. Lawyers have the opportunity to earn a lucrative income. The average annual income for an attorney in the United States is $114,970 per year as of 2014 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. The highest 10% of attorneys earned more than $187,200 per year. Salaries of experienced, specialized attorneys can be much, much higher depending on the field, geographical location, employer, and level of experience.
Of course, money is not the only reason why people choose the legal field as their career. The emotional rewards of being an attorney can be even more satisfying than the financial rewards. If you are passionate about your chosen field of law and you believe your top priority is your client, assisting people to achieve a positive outcome for their problem is extremely satisfying. An attorney usually sees a person during one of the worst moments of their life; therefore, it can be extremely rewarding to help this person find a successful resolution to their problem.
3. Mental Stimulation and Intellectual Challenges
Another one of the many benefits of being a lawyer is the mental stimulation an attorney experience when working through complex legal theories, statutes, and case law to find a solution to a legal question. Most lawyers possess exceptional analytical skills including reading and writing skills. Practicing law allows you to use your mental skills each day in effective ways to solve problems for your clients. Because each case is unique, you must use your full mental capabilities to research, speculate, hypothesize, and formulate legal strategies to effectively solve problems for your clients.
4. Argue and Debate
Some lawyers never argue a case in a courtroom or they argue very few cases in court. On the other hand, some trial attorneys are in court almost every week arguing a new case. If you enjoy the challenge of going up against another attorney to argue legal theories and points to prove your allegations are correct, becoming an attorney will give you ample opportunity to argue and debate legal theories and various interpretations of the law.
5. Work Environment
For many, the work environment is one of the benefits specifically considered when choosing a career. Most lawyers work in law firms, government agencies, or corporations where they are afforded an actual office with four walls rather than a cubicle in the middle of a “bullpen” from a cubicle. Although things have since changed with the need for social distancing and the ease of working remotely. Being a lawyer typically includes the benefit of having a certain level of prestige that affords you certain benefits that other employees may not receive (i.e. office, ability to set hours, expense accounts, decorating budget, etc.).
6. Skills that Transfer – Alternative Legal Careers
The benefits of being a lawyer do not stop at “being a lawyer.” The skills you learn in law school and in the early years of your practice easily translate into alternative legal careers. Sally Kane wrote about several alternative legal careers in an article published on About.com. Alternative legal careers Kane explores in her article include legal consulting, legal technology, legal publishing, education, administration, banking, finance, dispute resolution, and human resource management.
7. Flexibility
Unpredictable schedules, demanding billable quotas, long hours, and very few days off have been a major complaints of many attorneys. The desire to achieve a better work-life balance has encouraged many firms to work with their employees to provide more flexibility as an attorney. Many law firms are now offering telecommuting, alternative work schedules, tiered pay scales, expanded family leave including maternity and paternity leave, reduced billable hours, and virtual assistants to reduce workload. The benefits of being a lawyer are increasing as law firms and other employers see the value of providing additional flexibility for their employees in increased productivity and efficiency.
What Do Attorneys Say About the Benefits of Being a Lawyer?
The ABA Journal asked for responses to the question, “Why I Love Being a Lawyer.” The responses were varied ranging from helping others to being self-employed and earning a substantial income. The American Bar Association posed a similar question in its Woman Advocate Litigation Section. The answers to the question, “What Have You Found Most Rewarding Being a Lawyer?” are also just as varied as those in the ABA Journal.
For each attorney, the answer to these questions will depend more on the person than on the chosen career. If you are passionate about your career, you are likely to be more satisfied and happy. Regardless of the benefits of being a lawyer, you must like what you do in order to truly enjoy being an attorney and find satisfaction in what you do for others.… 
If you or someone you care about has been hurt and you want to sue, you’re going to be looking for a personal injury lawyer. These are lawyers who specialize in civil cases where someone has been hurt, in order to pursue damages. The injury in these cases can be physical or psychological (or both), and the case usually alleges negligence or lack of care.
Whether you want to sue another person or an organization, the goal in a personal injury case is the same. Your legal team will try to prove that you suffered an injury because someone else did or neglected to do something. They will try to quantify how that affected you, and more specifically, what it has cost you. Then they will pursue damages, which is a financial settlement to compensate you for your injuries, pain, and suffering.
As you can imagine in a situation where your life is under scrutiny, the lawyer-client relationship is particularly important in personal injury law.
During the process, your lawyer will get to know your life, both before and after the incident. They’ll have to quantify what you have lost in terms of earnings, daily activities, hobbies, personal relationships, and more. Then, they will try to ensure that you are adequately compensated for those losses. At the same time, the opposing defense team will be seeking ways to discredit your claims.
As with everything, the legal process is governed by the Law Society of Alberta’s Code of Conduct, and there are strict rules about solicitor-client privilege and the lawyer-client relationship. Here’s what you need to know.
Solicitor-client privilege has had a lot of coverage in popular culture. You’ve probably seen it on countless television shows and in the movies. But, while it’s a very real part of the lawyer-client relationship, it might not be exactly as it is depicted.
Solicitor-client privilege protects communications between a client and his or her lawyer. This means that anything you have told your legal representative in confidence cannot be disclosed without your express permission. This allows clients to speak freely and allows lawyers to get as much information about the client and their case as possible.
Solicitor-client privilege is not absolute though. There are rules that must be followed. The communication must be between the client and their lawyer and must be related to the case. There must also be the intent of confidentiality.
This means that you can’t expect to be covered by the solicitor-client privilege if you choose to have a discussion in a public place, where anyone might overhear the conversation.
Solicitor-client privilege also won’t cover any conversations where any intent to commit fraud or a crime is disclosed. Your lawyer has a duty to protect your privacy and rights, but they are also bound by a code of conduct.
Working with the right law firm can have an enormous impact on the outcome of your personal injury case. That, in turn, can determine your quality of life going forward. For that reason, it’s critically important to make the right decision when it comes to legal representation.
Your personal injury legal representative should be experienced, and have experience working for clients within the Alberta legal system. They should be compassionate and understand how your accident has affected your life and your livelihood.
Most importantly, if you or someone you care about is injured because of negligence, you deserve to be fairly and appropriately compensated. Accidents and the resulting injuries can have a profound and long-lasting impact on your life. Personal injury lawyers work hard to ensure that their clients can offset that impact financially.
Make sure that you take the time to find the right fit. Review their credentials and their track record. Make sure that they understand your case and empathize with you. The right lawyer-client relationship could be pivotal in the success of your case. Get as much information as possible, so you can make an informed decision.
If you or your family have been injured due to the negligence or actions of someone else, we’d like to talk. Contact our office to discuss your case, to find out more about our personal injury law practice, and to find out if we’re a good fit. We work hard to protect the interests of our clients, and if we’re the right law firm for you, we’ll do the same for you.…