Civil Attorney Job Description
A civil attorney represents clients in civil litigation and other legal proceedings. They also draw up legal documents and manage and advise clients on legal transactions. Civil attorneys deal with enforcing the rights of individuals. They deal with divorce, child custody, property ownership, property damage, defamation and contract disputes.
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Duties
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The duties required of a civil attorney include presenting and summarizing cases to judges and juries, supervising legal assistants, preparing legal briefs and opinions and examining legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting. Civil attorneys must also gather evidence to formulate their defense or to initiate legal actions, analyze the probable outcomes of cases using knowledge of legal precedents, interpret laws, rulings and regulations, and negotiate settlements of civil disputes.
Skills
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The skills required to become a civil attorney include reading comprehension skills, writing skills, judgment and decision-making skills, and critical thinking skills. Reading comprehension skills are useful when reading legal documents and understanding written material. Writing skills are important for communicating effectively in writing. Judgment and decision-making skills are helpful for making tough legal decisions and using your judgment to negotiate with other legal professionals. Critical thinking skills are useful for solving tough problems. Using logic and reasoning will help when trying to reach conclusions. Civil attorneys should also possess oral comprehensions skills to be able to communicate effectively; speech clarity to be able to speak clearly so that others can understand; and active listening skills to be able to give full attention to what others are saying.
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Knowledge
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Civil attorneys should have knowledge of administrative law, copyright laws, investigation techniques, and conflict resolution techniques. They should also have knowledge of the judicial system, professional ethics principles, legal procedural rules, court rules, confidentiality procedures, logic or precedent and public speaking techniques. Civil attorneys need to be able to use the library or the Internet to do research and apply legal concepts to medical reports or documents. They must use their knowledge of relevant laws in each case they work on.
Requirements
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A civil attorney must have at least a bachelor's degree and most employers require law school in addition to the bachelor's degree. Aspiring civil attorneys don't have to study pre-law, but they should try to sharpen their English, public speaking and critical thinking skills to perform successfully as an attorney. Some attorneys have acquired a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Juris Doctorate (J.D., a degree from law school). Civil attorneys must also pass a written bar examination in their state to practice law.
Working Conditions
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Most lawyers work in their offices, law libraries and courtrooms. Occasionally, they may travel to meet clients as a courtesy, to attend meetings and to gather evidence. Civil attorneys usually work standard work schedules. While some lawyers work the standard 40-hour workweek, others work longer hours to do research and go over evidence.
Salary
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The salary for a civil attorney was $110,590 per year in May 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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References
- Photo Credit young lawyer image by Alexey Stiop from Fotolia.com
