Summary: Interview Of A Legal Professional

Interview of a Legal Professional
Chelsea Kurtz
LS100-Unit 8
Professor Emily Ryan
June 5, 2014

Questions for Attorney Barrett Painter
1. What are the educational requirements to become an attorney?
You have to have a 4 year degree and 3 years of law school.
2. Daily tasks and duties (a typical day on the job)
Just depends on the day if you are in court prepare for court, go to court, meet with your client. If you are in the office I will work on cases and call my clients.
3. Have you encountered any ethical problems and how did you resolve it?
Well you hope you don’t have these problems but if you do you look at the rules then consult with a professional responsible for a person’s actions.
We have a database we can go to if we encounter any issues.
4. What are the best and worst (if any) aspects of your job?
The best is doing an adoption and seeing happy parents. The worst is the effects drugs and alcohol has on children, it’s hard to deal with this sometimes.
5. Is it difficult to manage family and work life? If not can you describe how you juggle both and how to find a balance?
No, I learned a long time ago from my dad when you leave the office works over and its family time.
6. During your first years of practicing law, did you drive yourself into the ground to make it?
No I was fortunate my dad was a lawyer I worked with him my first 8 years of practicing law and if I ever encountered any issues he was always there to help or give advice.
7. Do you enjoy working with a team of other attorneys? If so why?
Sure, you can always talk to other attorneys about issues in certain cases. I enjoy having people around to talk to.
8. How did you decide what kind of law you wanted to practice in?
It has evolved. I worked with my dad in real estate the first 8 years, and then started doing other practices of law including criminal and family law.
9. Was the bar exam crucial, do you remember how long you studied for?
Yes it was crucial, because if you can’t pass it you can’t become an attorney. I finished law school in December started studying for the exam in January and took it the end of February.
10. Do you find yourself getting emotionally involved in certain cases?
Depends on what the case is. Generally, you want to represent your client in the best way you can and it can get emotional when children are involved.

Reflection:

I really enjoyed interviewing attorney Barrett Painter in regards to his job.
It appeared to me that his responses to my questions asked were sincere and to the point. The educational requirements in order to become an attorney, are obtaining a four year degree, and three years law school. Barrett also mentioned passing the bar exam to be able to practice law. As he explained, a normal day at the office varied. Depending upon the day, if he wasn’t in court daily tasks were calling clients and working on cases. Mr. Painter didn’t go into a lot of detail in regards to ethical issues he may have encountered at work. He said that if such an issue arising you consult with a professional for the persons actions. Barrett also mentioned a database he may pull up on his computer about certain issues. In my opinion, if you are an attorney I am sure ethical issues arise in court frequently. The answer that really caught my attention when I asked him if was difficult to manage family and work life. I was always curious about this question considering all of the work involved being an attorney. Attorneys always seem to be working whether it is, creating cases, contacting clients, clients calling you when you are not at the office, hours upon hours of investigation in a single case, and the list goes on. His sincere response was that his dad, who was a former attorney, taught him that when work is over its family time. This reminds me of the saying, “when work is over, leave it at the
doorstep.” Upon my interview with Barrett, he brought up his father a lot throughout the interview.
When he passed the bar exam he worked with his father for the first eight years practicing real estate law. I was curious when he first became an attorney if he felt like he had to drive himself in the ground to make it. Barrett’s response concluded he didn’t and that he was fortunate because, if he encountered issues he would seek help or advice from his dad. Barrett has experience as an attorney in many fields of law including real estate, family, and criminal law. There were a few questions I asked that seemed to be sensitive topics following his answers. Mr. Painter explained the best aspects of his job were seeing happy parents, who adopted a child, and the worst were the effects drugs and alcohol has on children. My favorite answer was my last question asked. I was always interested in knowing if attorneys ever feel emotional involved in certain cases. To Barrett’s response he told me that it really depended on the case, and you always want to represent your client in the best way possible, but when it involves children it can get emotional. I enjoyed hearing his honest answer to this particular question. I can only imagine certain cases to be emotional to an attorney involving
children.
I am trying not to be biased here, but at times I think it can be hard to find a genuinely good attorney to represent your case the best they can, aside from money given to them from you. In regards to my interview with Barrett Painter I was extremely satisfied with his answers. It really opened my eyes hearing his responses back to such questions.
This is a career I would be interested in pursuing someday. I learned more than likely I wouldn’t be able to handle working as an attorney in family law. Seeing attorney Barrett’s responses to some of my questions asked, I could sense there was more to his responses he didn’t want to talk about. I feel that I would get too emotionally involved in certain cases, and not be able to represent a client to my best intention.

References
Barrett Painter, personal communication, May 29, 2014