What Does a Lawyer Do?
A lawyer is someone that advises their clients in legal situations, either criminal or civil. They prepare court documents, give impartial advice and represent their client in a court of law. To elaborate, a potential client may come to a lawyer with legal trouble. If the lawyer decides to take their case, they will advise the client on the best steps to take in their opinion. This could mean taking a settlement, writing a plea deal, or another route entirely depending on the case. Also, it’s important to note that there are multiple terms synonymous for the word lawyer, including attorney and attorney at law.
“I love being an advocate for people”
-Jasmine Umana
How Can I Become a Lawyer?
In order to become a lawyer you must first obtain a bachelor’s degree and apply to a law school. From there, attend an law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and receive your Juris Doctor (JD) degree. Upon graduating, you must take and pass the state bar exam to earn your license to practice law. The bar exam will vary from state to state, so you may only practice law in the state where you take and pass the exam. Then, you may decide how you’d like to practice law, in a collective law firm, with a partner, or on your own by opening your individual practice. The Corporate Minority interviewee, Jasmine Umana, did the latter and offered her insight on opening up her own law firm. She states that in order to make money as an attorney it’s vital to start building valuable relationships as soon as possible.
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