A Career in LAW

Karin DeLutis

Saranac Central High School

Rules of conduct created by society’s governing institutions or by people like you

and me.

                                    

What is Law?

What do lawyers do?

• NEGOTIATE

• ARGUE

• INTERPRET

• DISPUTE

• LITIGATE

Do you have what it takes to become a lawyer?

• A desire to work in a field that has an impact on the world around you?

• Committed to long work hours and high stress?

• Want great pay?• Love the law?• Enjoy loads of paperwork• Researching skills

Two Major Categories of the Profession

Litigation Attorney

• Deals with legal problems after they occur. Examples include: white collar crime, breech of contract, employment-related problems, etc.

Transactional Attorney

• Deals with business issues. Examples include: bankruptcy, contracts, and corporate financing. They “get the deal done”.

Essential Skills

• Excellent and persuasive oral and written communication skills

• Detail-oriented• Reasoning ability• People person• Perseverance• Creativity

CURRENT TRENDS

Decentralization

Globalization

DECENTRALIZATION

Not all jobs are in big City's like New York,

Washington, D.C. and Chicago anymore.

The development of satellite offices allows

you to choose the geographic

location that is best for you!

GLOBALIZATION

Law office locations are not

limited to the United States.

There are many

offices located all over the world.

What are the biggest areas of law today?

• Bankruptcy

• Litigation

• Health law

• Employment law

• Intellectual property (the protection of copyrighting, art, computer programs)

Which Career Track would you choose?

• Big-City Power Firms

• Regional Specialized firms

• Corporate in-house Counsel

• Government Law

• Public Defender/Legal Aid

• Public Interest

Big-City Power Firms

• 150 in country• Full-range of services nationally and

internationally• 150-200 attorneys on staff• Clients spends millions on services each year• Pay highest salaries• Tough hiring process

BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE

Regional and Specialized firms

• Middle-tier firms

• Employ 80-100 attorneys

• Serve local businesses, such as restaurants, hospitals, schools, stores, etc.

• Less pay

Corporate In-House Counsel

• Attorney that is hired to handle day-to-day business activity.

• Competitive salary

• Hours of work better

• One client

Government Law

• Employed by federal, state and local government

• Employ thousands of lawyers• Major employer: Department of Justice • Not high paying • Great benefits • Decent hours • Job security

Public Defender/Legal Aid

• Appointed by the court to defend those that do not have attorneys

• Located in most major cities. Most important office is in Washington, D.C.

• Lower pay

• Hard to get because of competition

• Work is both frustrating and satisfying

Public Interest

• Most prestigious. You are working with organizations such as American Civil Liberties Union, National Center for Youth Law, NAACP, Legal Defense Funds, etc.

• Lower paying

• Extremely rewarding

• Great deal of client contact

Drawbacks

• Long hours (10-14 per day)

• Personal ethics (a case may go against your personal beliefs)

• Heavy pressures

• High Stress

Compensation

• In 2002, the median salary was $90,290

• The middle half earned between $61,060 and $136,810

• The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $44,490

Specific Courses to take in High School

• Business Law

• Business Communications

• Computer Applications

• Math

• English

• Psychology

Employers that will hire you during high school

• Local attorneys offices

• Attorney General’s Office

• District Attorney’s Office

• Legal Aid

Training

• Four years of undergraduate study and 3 years of law school

• Additionally, to practice law in the courts of any State you must be licensed, or admitted to its bar

• You must pass a written bar examination• You must pass a written ethics exam in

most States

Two-Year College in Clinton County

• Clinton Community College

Criminal Justice Curriculum

Four Year College in Clinton County

• Plattsburgh State University Criminal Justice Curriculum

                        

     

Employers that will hire College Graduates in Clinton County

Harris Beach LLP

O'Connell and Aronowitz, P.C.

Stafford, Trombley, Owens & Curtin, P.C..

Asadourian Law Firm, P.C.

Lewis, Rogers & Meconi, P.C.