Odom-Lawyer

__ Lawyer __ What does a lawyer do? Represent clients, draw up legal documents, and manage or advise clients on legal transactions.

What tasks do you do on a regular bases for this job?


 * 1**. Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
 * 2**. Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
 * 3**. Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
 * 4**. Present and summarize cases to judges and juries.
 * 5**. Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
 * 6**. Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions, by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
 * 7**. Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
 * 8**. Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
 * 9**. Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges and question witnesses during the course of a trial.
 * 10**. Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation.
 * 11**. Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases

Some skills you need are:

Second, lawyers need to be able to think logically. The practice of law is really all about interpreting how the laws will apply to a particular case and this is done through a process of logical thinking that is learned in law school.
 * Third, lawyers need to be good at dealing with people. Much of what a lawyer does is talking to people, negotiating and building relationships. So 'people skills' are very important to lawyers.
 * What lawyers don't necessarily need is to be strong-willed or tough-minded. Contrary to what you may see in the movies, most successful lawyers don't get that way by yelling at people or bossing others around. Most good lawyers are well liked by their clients and other lawyers.

How much education do you need?

A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

What about training?

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training. How many job openings are there?

In 2006, there was approximately 85,610 lawyers employed in New York.