Even before you start pursuing a legal career, you should think about simple questions – “Why am I doing this?”, “Why law?”. The questions seem to be quite straightforward but you can get the answer when you have the big picture in front of you. Here are the top reasons to be a legal professional.
Passion To Be a Legal Professional
This is perhaps the biggest reason to become a lawyer. Unless you see some sense in helping people, you will not be a good lawyer or will be a lawyer with a drama in your life.
Law affects every part of our lives – buying a car, getting into a fight, getting fired or renting a house. The way you will act will affect lives. When you realize the power that the law has on people’s lives, you can see something that is beyond financial rewards. The way you will interpret the law can save lives or mitigate the loss of income. This is something beyond monetary rewards and a reason you cannot undervalue.
Intellectual Challenge
The evolving legal system, technological innovations and the growing demands of the legal profession create an environment where the intellectual capacities of a lawyer play a decisive role. Reason with logic and clarity, analysis of the case and statutory law, research on complex legal issues and mastery of oral and written communications are something that all lawyers should be able to master.
Unless you look at this as a stimulating environment that requires an intellectual challenge, you cannot succeed as a lawyer. If you are not enthusiastic about this, expect hard work and lots of trouble.
Growth and Opportunity
The legal profession has experienced an amazing growth in the last several years. A steady rise in profits and significant salary increases have opened plenty of job opportunities in a range of legal positions.
The complex legal system has created plenty of legal career options, including lawyers, judges, mediators, paralegal, secretaries, consultants. These opportunities are expanding to keep pace with the growing needs of the legal market.
Financial Rewards
Once you make it clear that you will be satisfied as a lawyer, you can think about the financial side. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistic, the median annual wage of lawyers was $119,250 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $57,430, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000. In 2017, the size of the total legal services market was 100.9 billion U.S. dollars, corporate legal departments accounted for 39.4 billion U.S. dollars.
Lawyers can expect higher pay in Intellectual Property (IP), Complex Litigation Case Management, Regulatory Compliance, Leadership, and Contract Negotiation.
Experienced paralegals, legal secretaries, court reporters, magistrates, mediators, legal nurse consultant, contract administrators and courtroom personnel earn between $30,000 to $100,000 a year.
Those with the highest education and specialized knowledge are the most highly compensated legal professional. They are lawyers and judges as well as those in a high-ranking management position.
The location also has an impact. The lawyers who practice in New York City can start out at about $160,000 a year whereas the lawyers in rural areas may earn less than $50,000 a year.
Prestige
The last thing I would like to mention is that the legal profession has long been regarded as a noble profession. The careers in the law have been the most desired professions in today’s job market, and this is something of no less value when you think of the society that views high pay, education and societal power as a sign of success.
Conclusion
Yes, money, prestige and career opportunities are sought-after but whether you will love what you do depends on your outlook. Helping people, viewing legal professional as an intellectual challenge is what actually will give flavor to your profession. If you don’t look at it from that standpoint, then the legal profession is not for you. Then, expect to see a senseless tragedy that you will hate.
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