The life of a lawyer is depicted as glamorous and luxurious in popular media. Believe it or not, it’s not all a swirl of elite soirees, working with celebrity clients, and making a fortune. It can be, but school comes first. If you’ve settled on law, there will be times when you’ll be jealous of your business school friends.
At times you’ll even hate your life, but it’ll all be worth it in the end when you get the chance to change the world in your own way. Here are some things to prepare for if you want to pursue a career in the legal field.
You Need to Befriend Technology
The legal profession is being infiltrated by AI, and you should be happy about that. That means no more boring paperwork and tedious administrative tasks. Well, less of those anyway. Legal document software like Loio will help you tremendously with proofreading and editing contracts. Project management software will keep your projects and tasks organized.
AI is the best assistant you can have! Just think about it; all the tasks that used to be done by junior associates and assistants have been overtaken by technology. If you are not on good terms with technology, it’s time to change that. The quicker you can learn to use it to your advantage, the more time it will save you.
You Need to Become a Writer
Unlike novelists, you need to write pure facts and no fiction. That doesn’t mean you can’t put your own spin on it! You’ll be doing a lot of writing, both in law school and at work as a lawyer. Communicating with clients and legal professionals, writing briefs and memoranda, and editing contracts and other legal documents will become daily tasks.
If you despise writing, perhaps you should rethink your career as a lawyer. Even though it might seem as though the writing is not such a big part of the job, it really is. Brush up on your writing skills and start reading a lot too.
You Need to Pay Attention to Detail
In other industries, professionals who pay attention to detail are often accused of micromanaging and not seeing the bigger picture. You need to take the bigger picture and understand every single detail of it too. Law is very nuanced; the career of a lawyer is built on little details. You need to pay attention to everything and make it work in your favor.
Law and legislation are applied differently to different situations. You won’t always be able to argue a case on the basis of similar cases that took place in the past. Try to foresee these variations and find nuances that work to support your case.
You’ll Never Stop Learning
You likely won’t encounter major changes to the law in your career. However, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be in the library every night as a student. Even after you’re done with the education portion of your life, you will continue learning. Get into the habit of reading up on the law, finding cases that spark your interest, and going through the legislation.
You will never know the law in its entirety, but you can gain a better understanding of it by reading. Perhaps this is a good time to say that if you don’t like reading, the career of a lawyer is not for you. All the reading you’ll be doing will also dramatically improve your writing.
It’s all Worth it in the End!
Being a lawyer seems like a lot of work, and it is, but it’s also a lot of fun. Most professions have boring, administrative elements. Luckily, technology is helping us with those tasks. The work of a lawyer is not only tireless and stressful but also very rewarding. You get to pat yourself on the back when you win another case and help another person. If you love it, there is not much more to say. It’s all worth it in the end!
You Have to Research and Read a Lot
There are plenty of law books which you have to read. In this way, you can research different types of cases and how one should tackle them. You have to increase your library hours to find some exciting books and read them thoroughly.
One of the best places you can find your law books is at an educational website called studocu.com. With this platform, you can easily find detailed notes, assignments, summaries, and books for research to enhance your study skills.
It is an art to manage your reading lists, and it is okay if you get suggestions regarding books from your seniors. If you know how to manage your time, it is easy for you to do this job efficiently. You have to create a schedule to read all the books thoroughly.
There is No Race in This Profession
It is okay if you proceed slowly and complete your internships or other programs. There are plenty of law firms that offer great programs to many lawyers in a year. You can enroll in them and start your training. Sometimes, it takes time to improve and get the desired achievement in your career.
But it is okay if you are a bit slower than others. There is no race, and you can take enough time to learn things. The main aim is to get better with time, and therefore, you have to focus on those improvements.
People can Approach You for Free Legal Advice
When you get involved in the law field as a student, many individuals can come to you to get legal advice for free. Now, you are learning various things in this industry. You are not capable enough to answer their queries.
Therefore, you should not give any legal advice to anyone until you become a professional lawyer. You can say that you are still connected to the school and learning things with time and course. Therefore, you cannot give correct advice for sure.
You Have to Organize Everything
It is necessary to organize yourself and put in more effort if you want to do something better in this field. Create a schedule and always stick to it. Disciplined people are in high demand in the law industry, and you have to become organized. Make sure that you reach the desired place on time and keep yourself ready all the time. You have to be energetic to deal with your cases and studies.
You Have to Invest in Expensive Law Books
Undoubtedly, you have to buy expensive law books to go through various cases. In this way, you will gain knowledge, and it is relatively necessary for every law student. You have to be prepared for making such an expensive investment.
If you read more, you will know more as a student. You can get such books from your seniors if you want to save your money. But these books will stay with you in the future, and you need them as well. Therefore, you have to make this investment.
Final Thoughts
Consider all the things that you should know as a law student. Have confidence and get ready to take up all the necessary challenges to become a professional lawyer.
