Everybody
knows the typical “9 to 5” workday of adults, but what is the workday like for
a lawyer?
When you
are new at a firm, you often have to prove your worth to others; so many new
employees work many more hours a week than the people who have been there for
more than 15 years. The type of firm you work at also affects your hours; a
smaller firm will work employees maybe 40-50 hours, but at a big firm, new
employees can expect to work 60-70 hour weeks (A day in the life para. 2). Goodbye,
free time.
In the article I read, the writer describes the
workday of a lawyer in 4 words- research, writing, studying, and phone calls.
Lawyers have to study the details of a case, research old cases for precedent,
and take notes on everything they learn (A day in the life para. 5). It seems that in order to win a case, lawyers
have to use every resource available to them in order to win. Lawyers write
memos, briefs, emails, etc (A day in the life para. 6). Lawyers communicate for
a living, and it is also essential that they communicate within the law firm. Many people associate studying with only law
school, but lawyers have to prepare for a meeting or a case by studying for
hours on the information they have researched (A day in the life para.7).
Studying is a necessary evil in the field of law. Lawyers will also be on the
phone with clients, bosses, opposing lawyers, etc. (A day in the life para. 8).
While lawyers write a lot as means of communication, the phone is another way
lawyers communicate, whether it is with a client or their boss. Looking from
the outside in, it seems that there is not much free time in the workday of a
lawyer.
Another small part of a lawyer’s workday is court appearances and client meetings. While many people think that lawyers spend their whole workday in a courtroom, the opposite is true. Lawyers spend the least amount of their time in the courtroom (A day in the life para. 9) Lawyers also differ on how much time they spend with their clients, but weekly meetings with clients are common in order to keep both parties on the same page (A day in the life para. 10). While many people picture lawyers spending every day in the courtroom arguing with the opposing side, or in a dim lit room speaking with their client, it is clear that the workday of a lawyer is not as dramatic as it is often portrayed. Lawyers spend a lot of time in their offices working hard whether it be researching old cases or studying for a court case.
"A Day in the Life of a
Lawyer." Acelsat. ACE, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
Federal Courtroom. Digital image. Justice.
U.S. Department of
South Hope Law Office.
Digital image. JohnMartin. John A. Martin &
Associates, n.d.
Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
It was really fascinating that you discussed the vast life of being a lawyer. Their aspect of communication can really be so many things, from memos, to emails, to face to face meetings and conferences. Very detailed and well written post.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment! It is very difficult to pinpoint the exact day of a lawyer, but many lawyers spend most of their workdays doing the different things I touched on in the blog post.
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