| JOB
DESCRIPTION:
You may
have seen them on television shows, going head-to-head with
the opposition. Truth is, on a day-to-day basis, most lawyers
don't have such a glamorous gig.
Lawyers
are paid to give legal advice, write wills, handle legal papers,
or try cases. Many spend hours a day doing research, writing
arguments, and meeting with new clients. Other times, lawyers
may spend all day in a courtroom.
Good debating
skills are essential in this line of work. So if you always
seem to win an argument (or can at least negotiate!) this
is probably the career field for you.
Lawyers
can specialize in many areas:
Criminal
Law—Criminal lawyers defend people who are accused
of committing crimes. Aside from representing your client
in court, you'd have to research their alibi (story). Like
a detective, you'd analyze the evidence to try and prove their
innocence.
Personal
Injury Law—Lawyers practicing this specialty help
disabled individuals receive monetary compensation for their
injury. As a personal injury attorney, you’d help people
who were hurt in an accident, on the job, or at a place of
business. After reviewing a client’s case and gathering
research, you'd present evidence to a judge, usually in the
form of a law suit.
Probate
Law—After the loss of a loved one, the distribution
of assets (things that have value) among family members is
often a difficult process. In probate law, you'd handle a
number of things including wills and trusts, documents that
often divide money and property to living relatives.
Interview
With an Attorney: Barbara Bakermerod
 Barbara
Bakermerod was a tomboy growing up. So she mostly hung out
with the boys in the neighborhood.
"I
liked to play football and build forts,” she says.
She had
no interest legal shows, or in the workings of the judicial
system--even as a teenager. Still, Barbara got excellent grades
and entered Michigan State University after graduating from
high school.
"I
started to pursue an engineering degree, but then I realized
that none of the people in class were anything like me."
After
Barbara switched her major to hotel and restaurant management,
she felt more like she fit in. Four years later she had her
bachelor's degree in business.
But she
still didn’t “click” with her time-consuming
career, running restaurants. "I was working a zillion
hours, but not getting paid enough," she says.
Her mental
strength and knack for debating helped lead her to law school.
When she was 23, she enrolled full-time. “Even though
it was tough, I’m glad I stuck it out.”
Being
a licensed lawyer would soon follow. Barbara aced the bar
exam and earned her juris doctor (law degree). And
six years later, she started her own practice.
"I
love being my own boss, working my own hours, and the freedom
to choose which clients I represent," she says.
Barbara
admits the road to success has been a little bumpy. Plus,
the cost of running her own business can get pretty crazy.
"But
just knowing I'm helping others makes it all worth it,"
Barbara says. "I wouldn't change what I do for the world."
Barbara's
skills go beyond her years of education. One of her best days
on the job was when she visited a client in the stress center
at the hospital. A nurse came up to her at the end of her
visit and said, "Wow! You're not like all the other lawyers.
You really talk to the patients like they're a real person."
"It
meant so much to hear her say that," she says.
So what
does Barbara like to do to unwind after a long hard day? She
admits to watching television, but doesn't like the legal
shows.
"Most
of them drive me nuts because they don't follow the rules
of evidence and ethics."
And although
lawyers sometimes get a bad rap, Barbara emphasizes her sworn
obligation. "As an attorney I must tell the truth and
only defend those clients I believe in," she says.
What
You Can Do to Get Ready:
As in
Barbara's case, you will definitely have to go to four years
at an undergraduate university, and three years of law school.
In the meantime, you might want to brush up on your communication
skills. Consider joining the debate team at school.
Also,
talk to your teacher about getting some scholarships—law
school isn't cheap! And you might even want to hook up with
an attorney in your area. Who knows what volunteering can
lead to? You might even get asked to sit in on one of their
court sessions.
What
it Pays:
Lawyers
have one of the best paying jobs in the corporate world. (Reality
check: you'll need that pay after going $100,000 in debt for
law school.) The average attorney can make anywhere from $64,620
to $143,620. Some make much more, commanding up to $300 an
hour! Not bad payback for seeing that justice is served.
Other
Resources:
What
Is A Lawyer: Sweet site with hot links that help you find
out what it's like to be a lawyer. (Heads up: this site is
California-based , but most of the information relates to
the whole country.)
Law
4 Kids: Tons of law-related interactive links and sites
to log onto.
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