What You Must Know About Law Firms
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What is a Law Firm?
A law firm is professional institutions in which individuals who have undertaken occupations within the legal profession in order to practice law.
Types of Law Firms
Law firms may span a wide expanse of varieties; a law firm may be operated by a single attorney without staff – in contrast, large law firms exist that employ hundreds of attorneys specializing in a wide range of legal specialties:
A private law firm is typically smaller in size, which can range from the employment of a single attorney to the employment of a team of attorneys; the presence of a legal staff may vary on the size of a law firm – while certain private law firms may employ a sizeable legal staff, other private law firms may employ a single attorney
A corporate law firm is an institution that provides legal counsel and service on a grander scale; typically, corporate law firms employ a multitude of attorneys – corporate law firms may operate on hierarchical systems classifying employees higher in rank as ‘partners’
A boutique law firm is a type of law firm that is considered to specialize in a specific legal field or legal fields; typically, boutique law firms offer legal services corollary to the specialty inherent in its construction – a boutique law firm can specialize a multitude of legal specialties, ranging from tax law to divorce law
Who Works in a Law Firm?
Employment opportunities available in a law firm vary in their respective educational requirements, certification, and training mandatory to obtain them. In certain cases, an individual may obtain an employment opportunity available in a law firm that requires a minimal amount of secondary education.Conversely, employment opportunities available in a law firm exist in which a vast amount of training is required:
Lawyers and Attorneys
Lawyers and Attorneys are individuals who have received accredited law degrees, allowing them to legally and ethically practice law in a variety of settings:
Lawyers and Attorneys are Legal Jobs that require the satisfaction of applicable course requirements expressed in accredited law school curriculum
In order to practice law, an attorney must attain certification from the American Bar Association
Upon the receipt of this certification, an attorney will be able to provide legal counsel, provide legal advice, represent clients in a court of law, certify, regulate, authorize, and oversee the nature of expressed legality within a legal spectrum
Paralegals/Legal Assistants
A paralegal is defined as an employment opportunity available in a law firm allowing an individual to participate in certain legal matters in lieu of acting in court hearings, providing legal advice, establishing fee and payment rates, and authorizing legal documentation:
Paralegal certification may or may not require certification depending on the position, law firm, and employment requirement(s
The ability to conduct legal research, compile, prepare, and arrange legal documents or forms
Perform research in – and have access to the resources available in legal libraries
Legal Secretary
A legal secretary is an example of an administrative employment opportunity available in a law firm that varies in its expressed educational and training requirements:
Although legal secretaries may be required to attain a Bachelor’s Degree – or comparable certification – in certain law firms, other law firms may not require the possession of a degree
A legal secretary may be hired as a result of respective administrative skills possessed, yet legal secretaries may be given the opportunity in the advancement of other positions available within a respective law firm
