What Are the Duties of a Lawyer?

A lawyer works on legal issues for individual clients and corporations and usually has a variety of job duties ranging from drafting legal documents to attending hearings.

Client Communication

A large part of a lawyer's job duties include communicating with clients to get the facts surrounding their claims and to provide case statuses.

Case Management

Tasks the attorney performs include case management, such as organizing files, checking the status of interrogatories, making requests for document production, indexing exhibits and reviewing medical records.

Pleadings

Pleadings are legal documents that the attorney prepares to respond to the court or to provide information to opposing counsel. Examples of pleadings include motions to compel discovery, answers to a complaint and designation of expert witnesses.

Depositions

An attorney also must attend depositions to find out witness information or hear the opinions of an expert.

Mediations and Hearings

A lawyer sometimes participates in mediation, which is a conference that parties attend to try to settle a claim. If the matter does not settle at mediation, a judge will hear the case, and the attorney will go to the hearing on behalf of his client.

Settlement Negotiations

When trying to resolve a case, the lawyer will start settlement negotiations with other counsel to attempt to settle the claim. One party will demand an initial amount, and opposing counsel can accept the demand or make a counteroffer.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Lawyers
• Career Planner: Lawyer Job Description