Now a career as a lawyer is without a doubt one of the most sought-after professions on the globe. Indeed, there are many rewards to working as a lawyer. However, attorney work has its drawbacks. The long countless hours of stress, research, pressure from clients and also the pressure from your debt from which when you were in law school can be quite damaging to lawyers. Deadlines, changing laws and other demands all combine to make the practice of law one of the most stressful jobs on the planet. Throw in rising business pressures, evolving legal technologies and climbing law school debt, it’s no wonder that lawyers are stressed. But not only that, there is the rising workloads and shrinking staff translate into more work hours for lawyers. In addition, the demands of global law practice mean many lawyers must be available to clients around the clock. Today’s lawyers work longer and harder than ever and 50+ hour work weeks are not uncommon. In addition to billing hours, today’s competitive environment has forced lawyers to spend more time on client development and business management activities. As a result, many lawyers complain of a lack of work-life balance. And these aren't all. There is also the problem of your negative visualization from the public. “What do you call 10,000 lawyers at the bottom of the sea?” The answer is, “A good start.” This popular lawyer joke underscores the low public perception of lawyers that is prevalent in today’s society. Although widespread distrust of lawyers has existed since ancient times, rising billing rates, frivolous lawsuits and sensational news stories of lawyers behaving poorly do little to raise the public image of attorneys.
But in spite of the long hours of work and your huge debt from law school, Impressive degrees, generous salaries, and an authority over others have placed lawyers in an elite circle of professionals who command respect and embody the definition of success. For generations, a career as a lawyer has been a hallmark of prestige. Even with all its drawbacks, lawyers today still enjoy a unique professional status and a glamorous image perpetuated by the media. So as far as the legal profession evolves, increased industry segmentation and specialization have led to a broad array of sub-specialties. Lawyers can specialize in one or several niche areas ranging from bread-and-butter practices such as employment law and civil litigation to niche specialties such as green law or foreclosure law. Not only do they specialize in a multitude of areas, Lawyers are autonomous and have the ability to set their own fees and choose their own clients and practice areas. The job has an inherent flexibility that allows lawyers to attend to personal matters or spend a day away from the office if needed. And to top it off, Lawyers are in a unique position to help individuals, groups and organizations with their legal problems and further the public good. Public interest lawyers champion legal causes for the greater good of society and help those in need of legal assistance who might not otherwise be able to afford a lawyer. Public interest lawyers handle matters that reflect broad areas of public concern - from housing discrimination to immigration to child welfare. They also fight for the underdog: they seek to enact policy change, advocate for civil liberties and fight for environmental protection, consumer rights and other causes for the betterment of society.
For the most part, being a lawyer is a prominent and prestigious profession. It is a career that commands respect and embodies success. It is a career path to a comfortable and well-off lifestyle.
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