Question for lawyers or people who are familiar with law as a career:?
369335
Yes, law school is expensive and the loans do build up.  I know lots of people who are paying off these loans and feel they can't quit a job in law until they pay everything back.\n\nSalaries for first year associates in many firms in LA and NY just rose to $145k.  If you are just going to work for a large law firm, most top 100 firms pay about the same during the first few years.  Later on, the pay scales start to vary.  If you reach partner status, the amount equity partners can obtain differs greatly among firms.\n\nIt's hard to say what the most lucrative areas of law are.  There are a lot of variables, such as what kind of firm you would be working for.  Whether the firm you end up at pays bonuses based on hours billed, etc.  In that case, litigators bill tons of time.  I do transactional work and we typically bill less than litigators.  However, do you really want to be billing over 2400 hours a year?  That's basically living in the office.
301585
Skills of a good lawyer generally: understanding of basic legal principles, ability to research, to be organized, to write coherently, to follow directions -- all the stuff they talked about in law school; still applies in a firm.\n\nThe thing about a big firm, as opposed to small private practice or even most corporate environments, is the caste-structure. Junior associates are bottom of the food chain. That means long hours, little respect, and everyone telling you what to do. \n\nNow, remember also that just because you've graduated law school and passed the bar, doesn't mean you're ready to practice. I'm graduating in two weeks, and there are huge practical areas that I never learned in school, but that I learned because of internships and real-world cases I was involved with. A firm (or any other knowledgeable employer) knows that a recent graduate probably doesn't have a lot of necessary knowledge about how law works in the real world, as opposed to the theory we learned in school. So, the first few years are designed to teach that, while also dealing with the fact that until you learn it, you are much less useful than a lawyer with a few years practical experience.\n\nFinally, remember that unlike other employment situations, a law firm acts as a collective. What one lawyer in the firm does is imputed against the others, including potential conflicts of interest. So, toeing the party line is important. It's also about fitting in and conforming to what the firm expects, both professionally and socially.\n\nGood luck.
958675
I don't know anything about Aussie law, since I'm American, but it sounds like you would make a more compelling case if you were less vague and didn't give the impression of whining. Probably you don't want to provide the details. If you have a good case, probably you can get some lawyers who defend people with human rights issues to take your case "pro bono", which means for free. There might be groups there that help women with legal issues for free too, but I doubt they would be the kind of high powered lawyers you would need to win the case. Here, you can often get lawyers to take your case without any payment for their services if you agree to pay them a high percentage,  It can be anywhere from 30-50% of what you win in court. By not telling them more and really sounding like you are convinced about the prospects of your case, it sounds like you might think they would be doing you a favor to take your case. A little attitude adjustment might be just what you need here.
288684
Most of practicing law is research, and very few lawyers are actually trial lawyers.  If that's what you want to do, it may take some time after you get out of law school to work your way up, gain experience, and get more involved at trials.  The type of person who succeeds in law school is someone who can reason, argue, write well and most of all likes it!!  If it's your passion go for it with all you've got, and you'll succeed.
448251
I work for lawyers and every summer a law student will clerk at our office.  Law students like to treat the paralegals and legal assistants like we are trash. They get drunk on the idea that we HAVE to help them and think they weild some power over us.  But, the problem is not exclusive to law students.  They get worse after they pass the bar.  Lawyers are some of the most hateful people to work for.  If you think your peers are bad now, wait till they start working at a big firm....they turn into even bigger a-holes!
1183100
I can't do you a percentage but it will probably be lower than you think. Most lawyers are doing bog-standard high-street , local government work etc. The high earners aren't that common but you find them in the top commercial/media/industry firms. Or in prestigious criminal firms.
908826
I'm in the legal profession, so for me it would be a real treat.\n\nThe workload is very heavy.  The publicity, digging through the skeletons in my closet, death threats, etc. I could do without.  I don't know what they make, but probably not much more than I do (maybe less!) - although the benefits must be great.\n\nBut the chance to actually make a difference - you bet.\n\nHonestly, I'm bright enough to know that I'm not quite brilliant enough for the job!!!
835269
It's a complicated profession, with a lot of dedicated people, plus too many members who abuse their position and violate their ethics.\n\nIt's a shame that soo many attorneys fail to live up to the ethical standards that are still oficially part of what was once an honorable profession. It just makes it that much harder for the rest of us.
1044034
#1..that he or she actually practices the type of law that you need, and preferably is a specialist.\n\n#2..how well the interview goes.\n\nUnfortunately my two biggest peeves with lawyers are hard to determine in advance.  I hate when they don't do what they are being paid to do in a timely fashion, and I hate when they let matters get continued just because the other side asked (both of which can cost you more money).   \n\nIf you can get a referral from someone who has actually used the lawyer before, that can be a big help.
71029
Great Question. Im gonna have to find out from a lawyer.
562037
To call yourself a lawyer in the US you have to pass your state's Bar Exam which is a pretty brutal test. I suppose it would be possible to get through it without going to school but most people--- and I mean pretty much all of them--- go to law school, which you can't get into without a 4-year college degree.  Without passing the Bar exam, you can call yourself an "advocate" or "advisor" or such but you won't make nearly the money that a lawyer does.
964544
Attorneys have to go to law school, and pass the bar. \nThey can help out a friend, without asking for money in return. Other than that, would you really want someone who had only some knowledge of the legal system, or someone who actually kept abreast of things in the legal system.
866018
I'd say at least 150 and hour for anyone halfway decent. I really like mine for everything he has been able to do for $250 hr. I'd certainly advise you to go to a firm rather than just a single lawyer in his own office. When problems arise in firms they can bounce things off of their partners who may have better experience with certain types of cases or incidents that can arise in certain cases.
474495
Well, that was a very profound answer from a "blooming" law student.\n\nCare to enlighten us on what you found on this subject during your "free time"??  You have free time to look this up, more free time to type a response, but not time to tell us anything worth reading?? hhhmmmm\n\nGeez, you'd better add some substance to your answers once you graduate or the Bar will chew you up!!
821926
Talk with your lawyer.
149081
Tell him if he doesn't stop calling that you will turn him in to the law board.  His job and license to practice law are based upon certain rules of conduct and he has obviously crossed that line.  If he is turned in for what he did he wouldn't no longer be able to practice law.
316901
Depends on YOU!\n\nAny career you choose, the success or the failure rates depends on. Only YOU!. Its your choice. So everything is yours.\n\nTo be a lawyer, you need to have a good memorising capability, logical reasoning(as much as possible), good (very very good) in ENGLISH Language, ability and interest to work with peoples of different types, capable of handling criticise and a lot, lot, lot of beleif in yourself. And more things I dont know. But there are more things. The main thing is that you have to be a good human being. As far as I think bad human being or bad lawyers are also unseccessful lawyers - from the perspective of money and respect.\n\nIf you are really interested in studying law and wants to choose law as your carrer then life for you will be challenging and thrilling for sure as u said your country is too much corrupted. But as the system is itself TOO MUCH corrupted so "respect", "honour" and "honesty" cannot be assured. But, Good Luck aneway. You should be capable of having a very very strong and VERY STRONG DESIRE to be a lawyer otherwise take some other things as a career for earning money and challenge, thrill and others. Take law as a hobby.\n\nYour choice.\nThink. Not only lawyers, everybody should think. right?\n\nGoodLuck.