Attorney Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an attorney. Feel free to use our attorney job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an attorney.
Who is an Attorney?
French roots gave rise to the word “attorney”. It was originally used to act on behalf of others as an agent or deputy. The meaning of the word is slightly different today, but it’s still a useful one.
An attorney, abbreviated as an “attorney-at-law”, is a lawyer who has passed the state bar examination and can legally represent clients and take part in legal proceedings. They also can offer advice directly related to the client’s case. An attorney-at-law is a licensed court practitioner who can defend clients or prosecute those accused of violating the law.
An attorney, or more accurately, an attorney-at-law, refers to a member of the profession of legal profession that represents a client when they are defending or pleading a case in court. An attorney can be applied to any lawyer in the United States. French for an attorney, which means “one appointed or constituted”, the original meaning of the word is that it refers to a person acting as an agent or deputy for another.
A person who is legally authorized to act for or on behalf of another, especially a lawyer. An attorney is someone who is legally authorized to act as an agent for or on behalf of another person, especially a lawyer. An attorney at law is the person or firm that has been designated by a court as representing a specific party in a particular case. All documents, correspondence and other communications intended for a party by the court or other parties to an action must be sent instead to the attorney.
An attorney is someone who advises and represents clients in civil and criminal cases. The process can start with giving advice and then move on to preparing documents and pleadings. Sometimes, the client will appear in court to advocate for themselves.
Attorney Job Description
Below are the attorney job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an attorney job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of an attorney include the following:
- Preparing pleadings as well as other documents such as contracts, deeds, and wills.
- Defending the rights and best interests of a client orally, by appearing in court before a judge/jury
- Building relationships with clients to help them identify their legal needs and provide advice.
- Ensuring clients get the best possible legal solutions, by conducting research and preparing legal documents.
- Communicating with clients to understand their legal concerns and providing advice.
- Making strategies to solve cases cost-effectively and favorably for clients
- Advising clients
- Assisting individuals or businesses as executors, guardians, or advisors
- Representing clients or gathering information, and making court appearances
- Examining legal data, laws, and evidence
- Drafting, reviewing, and revising legal documents
- Scheduling meetings with plaintiffs, defense attorneys, and opposing counsels.
- Examining settlement agreements and negotiating terms
- Supervising legal assistants.
- Collecting pieces of evidence.
- Preparing arguments for the court, defense, or prosecution.
- Educating clients about legal options and bringing to their attention possible outcomes and threats.
- Building relationships with clients by trusting them.
- Assisting clients in civil and criminal legal proceedings.
- Preparing legal documents such as contracts, dispositions, and pleadings accurately and promptly.
- Staying informed about the latest legislation, particularly regarding legal specialties.
- Solving legal issues ethically
- Assisting clients with ongoing litigation questions or explaining any legal concerns they may have.
- Researching the details and evidence in any case. For example, police reports, accident reports, or pleadings that were filed in a case.
- Interpreting cases and other decisions made by courts. This may involve analyzing the impact of many factors that could have been involved in other cases.
- Creating case strategies by trying to resolve cases quickly and economically for clients instead of going to trial.
- Providing legal advice to those who need it.
- Ensuring that their clients, whether they are individuals or organizations, receive the best legal representation. They also
- Assisting in the drafting and reviewing of legal documents that clients sign.
Qualifications
- Education
Before you can become an attorney, you must have a lot of education and preparation. These are the requirements to be a practicing lawyer.
- Bachelor’s degree
After graduation from high school, the first step in becoming an attorney is to earn a four-year degree from an accredited college. Students can choose to study political science, English, or criminal justice, but there are not any pre-requisites.
- Law school
Law school accreditation by the American Bar Association is required for aspiring attorneys. Students must first take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) to be eligible for law school. The LSAT is designed to assess students’ analytical and reading comprehension skills. Although the law school curriculum may vary, it usually includes general law-related courses
such as business, constitutional, criminal, and civil law. The program typically lasts for three years. Students can also take specialized courses in different aspects of law halfway through the second.
- Bar examination
Passing a two-day exam that tests an applicant’s knowledge and understanding of the law is the final step in an attorney’s basic education. Although the format of the exam may vary slightly from one state to another, it consists of six 30-minute essays and the second day entails a series of questions that test the applicant’s knowledge of the laws in the state they are taking the exam. The bar exam in most states requires an ethics test.
- Training
Practical experience in a law office or other organization is an important part of attorney training. This usually involves performing low-level legal tasks under the direct supervision and guidance of a practicing lawyer. Students can gain valuable soft skills such as communication and persuasion, negotiation skills, time management, and critical thinking through direct experience.
- Certificates
Before practicing law, all lawyers must be licensed. While each state has its requirements to earn a license in law, all require that candidates pass a bar exam. Depending on the state’s laws, bar exam content can vary. The majority of states require that attorneys renew their licenses every three years. The law is a vast field. Attorneys typically focus on one area of law. These certification courses are available for attorneys who wish to specialize.
- Specialist certification in estate planning law
This certification is issued by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. It shows potential clients that the attorney specializes in estate planning law. It is a certification that demonstrates experience in estate planning.
- Specialized certification in Child Welfare Law
This certification is issued by the National Association of Counsel for Children and serves as proof that an attorney has the necessary knowledge, skill, and expertise to practice child welfare law. This certification allows an attorney to represent the civil part of the government in any case relating to child protection.
Essential Skills
- Communication skills
An Attorney must communicate effectively both orally and in writing. They should also be able to listen well. An attorney also needs to have excellent communication skills. Attorneys need to communicate with their clients, communicate expectations, present strong arguments, negotiate settlements, and communicate the results to them. Strong intrapersonal skills are often a benefit to lawyers who can communicate well with their clients so that they understand the court process and client expectations.
- Undaunting
An attorney must be unflappable when things go wrong in court before a critical audience. An attorney must be undaunting even when faced with the most difficult case.
- Critical thinking
An attorney must be able to solve problems and find solutions. Once they have found the right solution, the attorney can choose and implement it. Attorneys must have the ability to think critically and interpret cases to determine the best way to proceed. Lawyers might help clients decide the best course of action in a particular situation. They can use their critical thinking skills to help clients make sound decisions and create action plans that will work.
- Interpersonal skills
These skills are essential in sensitive areas like family law. They allow you to build a supportive relationship with clients even when they may not be at their best.
- Public speaking
Although not all lawyers will appear in court, those who do may benefit from the public speaking skills that enable them to address juries, judges, and other court audiences confidently. Effective arguments are dependent on the ability of a lawyer to communicate clearly and effectively defenses and prosecutions. It takes practice to speak confidently, articulately, and slowly enough for others to understand. Therefore, as an attorney who would constantly appear in court, effective public speaking skills like oral communication are needed.
- Research
Attorneys can also benefit from research skills. Arguments based on relevant precedents are crucial in many cases. For their particular case, lawyers can use previous verdicts and interpretations. They can also use past verdicts and interpretations to help them create effective arguments, ask insightful questions, and prepare for counterpoints or arguments. A lack of preparation will make you look unprofessional and weaken your position. Make sure you spend time preparing and that you use various resources. For example, if you’re preparing for an interview, visit the company’s website. You can also look through news articles and press releases. A variety of sources will help you expand your knowledge and give you the complete picture. This profession demands that you can identify and isolate relevant information.
- Attention to detail
Attorneys often notice insignificant details that could change the course of a case or legal proceeding. All the information is necessary for lawyers to be able to make informed decisions and arguments. Lawyers can be more attentive to details to get the information they need from clients and witnesses. This allows them to link important pieces and create convincing narratives.
- Teamwork
The ability to work as a part of a team is not only essential for law but also any other job. Basic skills such as empathy and respect are essential for any team. Those who can’t listen to and accept the opinions of others will be out of tune. People will recommend you to others if they enjoy working with your company. This is undoubtedly the best way for you to advance in your career.
- Independence
Although teamwork is essential to success, it’s also important that you can be decisive in difficult situations. You will be responsible as an attorney and must take responsibility. However, this does not mean you have to struggle alone. You can take initiative by asking questions and getting help.
- Creative Problem-Solving skills
Although many people think the law is dull, the truth is that it can be creative. Sometimes the solution to a client’s problem is not obvious. Your job will be to find new ways, arguments, and ideas to get the desired result.
- .Written Communication Skills
Writing is a major part of your job as a lawyer. You will draft documents, send letters to clients and create contracts, among other tasks. Your work will be undermined by Grammatical and Typos errors. Clients will trust you if your writing style is clear and concise.
- Verbal communication skills
Verbal communication is the most important aspect of becoming a barrister. Your job is to present your arguments so that your judge or jury can accept your case. As a solicitor, it’s not something you can avoid. Client meetings, phone calls, and presentations will all make up your day.
- Work under Pressure
It is not an easy job to be an attorney. You will need to complete large volumes of work within tight deadlines. Being able to keep calm and focused is crucial. You will be able to complete your tasks on time, and you can handle any problems that may arise by setting personal deadlines. You can manage your time efficiently and prioritize the most important tasks by creating timetables. These are all great tips for essay deadlines!
- Commercial Awareness
Commercial awareness is a common term that pops up all over the place. It means being able to understand current affairs and business news, and how they might affect your firm and clients.
- Understanding People
Your practice should be focused on the needs of your clients. Lawyers are first and foremost providing a service to their clients. Listening and taking the time to get to know your clients is essential. Clients don’t have an in-depth knowledge of the law. It is very rare for them to be able to understand your explanations.
How to Become an Attorney
- Education
An aspiring attorney must have a Juris Doctor degree (JD), after obtaining a bachelor’s degree. To meet the requirements for attorney licensure in most states, the law school must be accredited by ABA.
- Test
To be admitted to most law schools, you must first pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), which assesses the candidate’s aptitude for law.
- Apprenticeships and volunteer work
While in school, law students may also have the opportunity to gain practical experience. This could include volunteering in local legal clinics, participating in competitions or trials, or working part-time in law firms. Many students also write for the school’s law journal. An attorney cannot work without a license from the government. They must pass the bar exam to gain this license. They must also have a law degree before they can take the exam. This type of job is often trained while completing a law degree. Paralegals and assistants to attorneys are common roles for students. Paralegals first meet potential clients and screen them to see if they can handle the case. Paralegals also research specific laws and secure legal documentation on behalf of attorneys.
- Admission to the Bar
To become an attorney in a state, attorneys must be admitted to the appropriate bar association. This involves “passing” the bar, a written exam that may include taking an ethics exam in certain states.
- Further Education
This isn’t a graduate-and-pass-the-bar-and-you’re-done profession. To maintain membership in bar associations, many require members to take continuing legal education courses every year or three years.
Where to Work as an Attorney
- Government institutions
- Private institutions.
- Private companies.
- Law firms.
- Individual cases
Attorney Salary Scale
The average annual salary of an attorney in the United States Department of Justice is $141,250. This is 53% higher than the national average.
An average monthly salary for an attorney in Nigeria is 653,000 NGN. Salaries can range from 300,000. NGN (lowest) up to 1,040,000 NGN (“highest”). Attorney’s salaries differ as it depends on location, experience, gender, and skills. Therefore, the average monthly income for an attorney as stated above includes other benefits such as transportation, housing, and others.
