Lawyer

This article is about professionals who are envied world over because of the immensely lucrative profession they are in. I am talking about lawyers! The importance of these learned and skillful individuals goes highlighted in everyday situations, where people, companies and even governments hire them to seek legal advice, be counseled on rights, be represented in court, have legal documents drawn up and legal negotiations conducted. The task of interpreting laws to the advantage of their clients is tougher than it seems even for ‘legal eagles’ yet this is also essentially the realm where their expertise lies.

Qualities

Some necessary traits to join this profession are proficiency in English and the regional language, excellent written and oral communication ability to make impressive presentations. Besides these, a good memory, logical and analytical thinking skills, deductive and analytical thinking skills, deductive and assimilative thinking skills, deductive and assimilative powers, curiosity, an eye for details and ability to work around problems, also comes in handy here.

Qualifications and training

To become a lawyer, students need to first acquire a bachelor’s degree in law. Those passing class XII may take up the five year B.A.L.L.B degree program while those who have done their graduation can opt for a 3 year L.L.B degree course in law colleges across the country. There after it s necessary the country. There after it is essential that registers oneself across with the state bar council to be allowed to practice in court. Those interested in higher studies may further specialize on either of the varied dimensions of the legal profession. These range from civil law, international law, criminal law, constitutional law, corporate law, family law, taxable law, labour law, administrative law to practitioners to constantly keep the learning process on. Success in this sphere however does not come with experiences and professional competence learned over the years under efficient senior lawyers.

Job profile and career prospects

These professionals usually spends long hours of studying and doing researching facts on cases, from multifarious sources like law book found in libraries and legal information go from in record room, the internet, law archives, news paper or even conversations of the people relevant to a case. Their schedule includes drafting contracts, gift deeds affidavits, wills and other legal documents drawing up legal strategies to win big cases, sating their argument in writing, presenting their arguments in courts and conducting briefing sessions with their clients. These may be in the courtroom, client office, clients residence or even hospitals and prisons. While most legal practitioners work individually, those new to the profession join a senior lawyer or a legal firm. There are others who opt to work for the government or even join private companies further career opportunities, beckon them, once they gain experience. These exist in spheres like judiciary, paralegal services, legal reporting, investigate agencies, and even politics.

Pros and cons

Though the initial few years for those practicing law in court are full of struggles especially financially, it can be called an evergreen profession where age is not of the factor. In contrast the older one gets the more faith clients have and the more cases one gets. Today the scope and career options especially in corporate organizations have increased manifold, for lawyers who are being seen as respectable intellectuals and indispensible social doctors finding remedies to legal problems. Yet, one need to remember that legal profession has a lot of grey areas and in the need to be cleaver and shrewd to win cases, those lacking real caliber may have to stoop to using crooked means.