What Are the Different Careers in Law?
While most people have one main image of a law professional and what he does, the fact is that there are many facets to a law career. Examples include private practice lawyers, law enforcement officers and legal aid assistants to less fortunate individuals. The specialty of a law professional's career depends on his personal passion, the opportunities available to him and his educational background.
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Attorney
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Attorneys can specialize in a variety of areas, including criminal, family, environmental, tax, immigration, constitutional, real estate or international law. According to the Streetlaw.com, education requirements for this profession include graduation from a four-year college as well as completion of a three-year law school program. To practice law, an attorney must also pass the state's bar association certification. Once this certification has been obtained, a lawyer might then decide to go into private practice, public service (via a district attorney's office) or become counsel for a local legal aid organization.
Law Enforcement Officer
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A law enforcement officer might work for a community police department or as a state highway patrol trooper. The premise of this career type is that these individuals have a sworn duty to uphold and protect the law of the city, state and country. The positions for this career type are varied, as are the responsibilities; however, the core principles are the same in that law enforcement officers are put in place to protect members of the communities in which they serve. Depending on the position and the geographic location, law enforcement officers may need a bachelor's degree or must simply graduate from an official police academy.
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Probation/Parole Officer
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Both of these positions deal with a criminal population; however, probation officers generally get less severe cases, in which the person may have appeared in court and been given probation as the terms for his release, or he may have had a short jail stint with a longer probation after. Parole officers, on the other hand, deal with offenders who have served time in a state penitentiary and have committed repeated infractions that resulted in incarceration. According to the Streetlaw.com, these professionals must have a four-year degree, preferably with a major in one of the social sciences.
Judge
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Judges may be voted into office or appointed, depending on the courts they oversee. Judges are responsible for interpreting the law to resolve crimes or other disputes between two parties. Judges must also have an education background that includes a bachelor's degree from a four-year college and a law school degree. They must also have a bar certification and experience with the law. The competition for these positions is great because of the career prestige associated with them.
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