Kathy Furgang - Getting a Job in the Legal Profession

Published in 2017 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2017 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Furgang, Kathy, author.

Title: Getting a job in the legal profession / Kathy Furgang.

Description: First edition. | New York : Rosen Publishing, 2017. | Series:

Job basics, getting the job you need | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016006445 | ISBN 9781477785621 (library bound)

Subjects: LCSH: LawVocational guidanceUnited StatesJuvenile literature. Classification: LCC KF297 .F865 2016 | DDC 340.023/73dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016006445

C ecile exited the elevator on the 34th floor of the Manhattan skyscraper. The butterflies in her stomach quickly settled down, and her nerves turned to excitement. It was the first day on the job as a paralegal intern in a small law firm. She was wearing her sharpest suit and felt ready for the day.

Cecile had always been interested in law, but knew she might not have the time, money, or stamina to go through law school. Her mother had suggested that becoming a paralegal was a good way to explore the field of law to see if she liked it. Cecile took a certification course and is ready to finish it with a great internship opportunity. She would be learning on-the-job, in a real law environment. She would not be thrown to the wolves by lawyers who expect her to research, write a report, or advice people immediately. She was excited to be able to work with a mentor who could teach her the ins and outs of research and litigation.

Cecile was excited because there was so much to learn. There are so many different fields of law and jobs available that a person at any level of education can find a place in the legal field. After taking courses to become a paralegal, Cecile felt ready to tackle the internship.

When she met her mentor, she shook her hand and went on a tour of the offices. She knew that she had to remain professional with everything she did. The law profession requires its employees to be more professional and formal than most other professions, and she was determined not to disappoint her new bosses. She wanted to help give the impression to new clients that they had chosen a respectable and well-established firm. After all, people come to law firms when they need help or advicesometimes in matters affecting life or death. The firm they choose will be important to them.

Courthouses are one of the most recognizable symbols of the legal profession. They are where many legal decisions are made by judges and juries based on the legal arguments of attorneys.

Ceciles feelings about her first day are typical of people just starting out in a career in law. Getting there takes some research to figure out the options. It can take some serious academic effort and focus. Finding jobsresearching the right places to apply, crafting resumes, and interviewingcan be both challenging, yet fulfilling.

Someone like Cecile may decide that she likes her work as a paralegal so much that it inspires her to take an even bigger step: she can apply to go law school and become a lawyer. There are countless specialties she can focus on, in both public service and private practices. She can even channel her efforts to eventually become judgethe highest honor and position in the field of law.

There are an amazing number of options available to people who are interested in a legal career. Ceciles career path is just one of many open to anyone who chooses to explore the field of law.

T he first step in exploring the field of law is to become familiar with what is available and the jobs that people can have. Even if you are not sure whether you want to become a lawyer or just work in the field, its helpful to know how the field of law breaks down into different specialties, disciplines, and types of law. Within each specialty, someone can be a lawyer, paralegal, legal assistant, file clerk, or other law professional.

There are a vast number of choices in the field of law. Students considering what to lean toward should review the choices and think about what interests them most. Maintaining a high interest level in your chosen field of work is important. It can be difficult to go to work each day to a job that you struggle to stay interested in. The following sub-categories of law are among the most widely practiced.

Criminal Law

Criminal law involves the process of punishment of those who commit crimes. A lawyer may choose to defend the rights of the person accused of the crime, or the rights of the person against whom the crime was committed. Because laws are set by the government, criminal law cases are prosecuted by the government. It is the lawyers job to either prove that a person committed the crime or to defend a client who may have been unfairly accused of a crime.

Corporate and Securities Law

Corporate law is a division of the law field that studies how parts of a business interact with each other and makes sure they do so in accordance with laws. The relationship between corporate directors and their shareholders is important in corporate law. Corporate lawyers also handle any problems between consumers or community members. Even environmental problems that the corporation may be involved in are handled and defended under the umbrella of corporate law.

Many areas of law overlap. For example, a corporate and securities lawyer may be involved in a criminal case with his or her client.

Civil Rights

With civil rights law, the rights of the individual are upheld. If a person feels that their government-granted rights have been violated, a civil rights lawyer can consider the case. Civil rights lawyers might go against a corporation, and some criminal cases might overlap into the area of civil rights. In this case, different legal cases can be tried in these different areas of law.

Labor and Employment

Labor law is often called employment law. This type of law field is concerned with the relationship between employers and employees. This involves what the employer is legally obligated to provide for the employee, and what the employees rights are in the job. Some issues covered in this type of law include safety issues, benefits, and problems of pay or harassment in the workplace.