The role of a lawyer is fascinating, just like that of a firefighter or a school teacher. They are often admired for their eloquence and the theatricality of their arguments.
In absolute terms, a lawyer is a person who is contacted by individuals (who become their clients) to defend them in the trials they face. Their main role is to defend them but also to advise them based on their knowledge of legislative texts.
You may also like : Timac Agro at the Service of Farmers
Motivations to Become a Lawyer
“Being a lawyer is attending a permanent show, it is visiting a museum where we will discover, alas, the most abject beings, but also, fortunately, the most wonderful beings, morally and intellectually.” Jean-Claude Woog
Whether the motivation comes from the dream of an old child (a memory of an emotional film, of a renowned lawyer), or from deep convictions (becoming a lawyer like my uncle, entering politics, believing in values), the desire must be based on these essential pillars. Being a lawyer means:
Related reading : The different types of file formats
- Defending
- Promoting a just
- ideal Showing courage, resignation, and rebellion
- Being interested in your neighbor
- Bringing comfort to society
- Taking and practicing a continuous psychology course
On our site:
Test your motivations with orientation quizzes.
Career Choices
Generally, there are three categories of lawyers: business lawyers, whose clients are companies; criminal lawyers, who defend those accused of crimes or offenses; and specialists in civil matters (divorces, inheritances, etc.). However, most young lawyers handle a bit of everything and defend both individuals and businesses.
Conversely, in recent years, business law has offered good opportunities.
Similarly, social security law, pension law, or patent law are very promising niches.
Lawyers can open their own practice, be associates, or employees. In the latter case, they do not have the status of a liberal professional and cannot develop their personal clientele.
Business Lawyer, the Golden Way?
Three major categories of commercial firms can be identified:
- French law firms, usually medium-sized, have between 15 and 40 lawyers. They are often generalists when they come from traditional structures and more specialized when they come from the former legal consulting profession.
- law firms, mostly of Anglo-Saxon origin, have dozens of lawyers and benefit from an organized international network.
- audit firms. These may be Anglo-Saxon firms (“Big 6”) composed of more than a hundred professionals and active in business law and taxation with a clientele of French companies.
Specializations
Operating in a highly competitive sector, lawyers have every interest in specializing in: business law, tax law, social law, corporate law… Other currently promising niches include law related to new technologies (Internet, etc.), the environment, and Europe.
- Criminal lawyer
- Law firm
- Lawyer in law of
- Real estate lawyer
- International law lawyer
On the CIDJ (Youth Information) website: Description of the lawyer profession (CIDJ, infojeunesse)
Qualifications to Be a Lawyer
A rigorous lawyer is ready to work hard and not count their hours if they want to succeed. It is also important to be very organized to juggle from one case to another and to adhere to procedures and the judicial calendar (hearing dates…).
Writing Skills
This personal investment goes hand in hand with excellent editorial skills and a mastery of legislation, regulations, and case law. To do this, the lawyer must continuously stay updated on legal news.
Discretion and Charisma
Keeping professional secrecy in mind, the lawyer is the confidant of all the difficulties (judicial as well as economic…) of their clients. They must be able to adapt to any situation. With a charismatic character, they also stand out for their speaking skills and strong persuasive power, especially when arguing in court.
Lawyers must also be aware of their obligations: they must have a perfect understanding of their ethics. After taking an oath, the lawyer must be guided by the essential principles of the profession: “honor, altruism, loyalty, fraternity, delicacy, moderation, and courtesy.” (art. 3 of the decree of July 12, 2005).
On our site:
Videos of lawyer testimonials describing a typical day in their profession, explaining their motivations.
Lawyer Salary
The salary of a lawyer varies greatly depending on their activity, reputation, and the location of the firm. On average, a trainee lawyer’s salary ranges from €1350 to €2500 per month. The average salary of a qualified lawyer (2 years of experience) is around €5,000 per month, but this salary can double or triple if the firm is well-known and has numerous cases.
Lawyers who solve everyday life problems remain by far the most numerous but the least paid. On the other hand, business law and more complex commercial advice turn out to be profitable and lucrative niches. Therefore, tax and business lawyers seem to fare better than others. In 2006, lawyers earned an average of €49,000 net. For more information on salaries by specialization, click on the job sheets available in the menu.
On our site:
Summary on the issue of lawyer salaries based on their specialty and seniority
Lawyer remuneration web resources (by profession, by region):
- Professional cards and income for legal professions (Village Justice)
- Average salary for the lawyer profession
- Lawyer salaries (France, by region) (Indeed)
- Salary grids: legal sector (downloadable document from a Hays France market study)
On our site:
Here are some recent guides on the lawyer profession and the organization of the French justice system.
Tag: the guardianship / curatorship lawyer