Guidance.help

Lawyers

People classed as Lawyers represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. The strongest interest signal is Enterprising (5.5 of 7), then Conventional (4.6) and Investigative, which gives it the code ECI. The preparation level is extensive preparation, typically graduate school and often five years or more of related experience. O*NET’s skill data points to speaking, reading comprehension, and critical thinking as the ones to build. A regular part of the work is to interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses. People who want leading, persuading and making business decisions usually fit better here than those who need hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world.

What they do

Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.

Main tasks

  • Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
  • Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
  • Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
  • Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
  • Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
  • Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Listening
  • Writing
  • Judgment and Decision Making

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and reading comprehension.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
  • You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 1.1 out of 7 here.
  • You want to be working in the field within the next few years.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECI takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.

Preparation

Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Doctoral Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Attorney
  • Attorney at Law
  • Attorney General
  • Counsel
  • County Attorney

Related careers

Is this your direction?

See how your interests line up with ECI and 906 other careers.

Take the career test

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.