Staff Attorney Job Description
The larger a business becomes, the more legal concerns the business will likely have. Instead of temporarily hiring attorneys for legal concerns, many corporations hire attorneys on a permanent basis. This way, the staff attorney can develop a more thorough understanding of how the company works, allowing the attorney to better provide legal help.
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Function
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Staff attorneys are legal workers who work for a variety of organizations, often as full-time employees. Staff attorneys working for the American Civil Liberties Union handle civil liberties litigation and engage in legal advocacy. Whenever there is a case in which an individual's civil liberties are violated, such as in violations of freedom of speech, police abuse and race discrimination, these staff attorneys use their legal expertise to help clients receive compensation for damages. According to Real Estate Counsel, other staff attorneys make sure that the company they work for follows all appropriate legal procedures. In real estate, for instance, staff attorneys make sure that all legal documents comply to legal standards. They oversee documents such as leases, purchase and sale agreements, closing documents, easements, declarations and subleases. They are responsible for communicating legal issues to clients of the real estate agency, and they are also called in whenever there is a problem with a title.
Advancement
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Staff attorneys can advance to the position of senior staff attorney, where they oversee legal teams and handle high-profile cases. According to the Hartford, many are employed by insurance companies, where they provide everything from legal counsel to communicating with the court, witnesses and the opposing counsel in situations where the insurance company is sued. Most important, when the court case finally arrives, the staff attorneys are responsible for presenting witnesses and evidence at trials in defense of the company they work for. They research, compile and argue briefs in favor of their employer. Eventually, the staff attorney can rise up the ranks of the corporation they work for and acquire a position in upper management.
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Education
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Attorneys must complete a four-year bachelor's degree, a three-year law school program and must pass a written bar exam. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that lawyers can acquire a bachelor's degree in anything, though degrees that emphasize communication, reading, writing, researching and thinking logically will aid the attorney. They must have persuasive communication skills to successfully argue briefs.
Prospects
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The need for attorneys is expected to grow 13 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This growth will be driven by corporations staffing an increasing number of attorneys for intellectual property, bankruptcy, litigation, antitrust and environmental law concerns.
Compensation
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that staff attorneys are among the highest-paid lawyers in the legal profession. The median earnings for staff attorneys in 2008 were $145,770. Additionally, most staff attorneys are provided health care, life insurance and retirement plans.
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References
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