Lawyers perform an important role in our society and economy. They provide a necessary service to individuals, businesses, and the government. Despite the importance of their profession, many people don’t know what it’s like to be a lawyer. That’s why we decided to list 10 perks of being a lawyer in this blog post. 

We hope this information will help educate people about what lawyers do and what they enjoy about their profession. Maybe this post can even encourage high school students to choose a law degree. Keep on reading to know more!

What does a lawyer do?

Lawyers are trained to interpret the law and regulations for businesses and individuals. They’re often consulted for legal advice, both on and off the court. Attorneys make use of their knowledge of the law and legal practices to ascertain the best course of action for their clients.

Also, lawyers do a lot of research, paperwork, and consultations. Should they have a case in court, lawyers represent their client in front of a judge and jury. They then use their logical reasoning, persuasiveness, and analytical skills to come to the desired outcome.

10 Perks of Being a Lawyer

1. Career Options and Academic Opportunities

Mahatma Gandhi and Barack Obama are lawyers, and their legacies did not end with being lawyers. One of the perks of being a lawyer is having different career options to choose from. 

Likewise, law students can also choose to be in the public or private sector once they graduate. However, not all lawyers are confined to law firms. Some opt to do legal consulting for corporations, do legal publishing, pursue social work, or even pursue human resource management. 

Here are some of the most common types of lawyers:

• Corporate lawyer
• Trial lawyer
• Family lawyer
• Tax lawyer
• Criminal prosecutor
• Divorce attorney
• Immigration lawyer
• Probate attorney
• Litigation lawyer, and others

Also, the career path of a law student may branch out to accounting, management, communications, or other fields. This means that law graduates are in a unique position to merge law and non-legal degrees to enhance their skills further.

2. Skills Enhancement

Studying law provides significant benefits because it trains the students to develop their ability to debate or argue, their problem-solving capabilities, and their communication skills. Lawyers can make a compelling case through these learned skills. Through consistent honing of these skills, new lawyers can also gain leverage in their careers. Another perk of becoming a lawyer is that these skills can also be extremely useful when attorneys decide to move to a different career.

3. Own a Business

Lawyers can choose to start their own business or establish their own private practice. This is normally an option for an experienced lawyer, although this is also a possibility even for new attorneys. A large law firm typically has policies on billable hours, vacation time, and client distributions to team members. Lawyers who opt to go on their own can choose their clientele, hours, and when to go on vacation. In this way, they do not have to work long hours and can have a better work-life balance.

4. Financial Reward

Not surprisingly, one of the top reasons why students choose a law career is the high income. In the United States, lawyers earn an average of about $60k annually. This salary is the national average for a successful lawyer, and new lawyers might expect to make less while they establish their career. Generally speaking, through hard work and experience, attorneys can work up to a very decent salary.

5. Flexible Hours

Though lawyers often have a demanding work schedule, they have more flexible hours than many careers today. Many firms today have proposals of unlimited vacation time for their lawyers as they recognize the need to spend more time with loved ones. 

There are also “traveling lawyers” who manage to work in the legal field while traveling half of the time. Most lawyers would opt to go on vacation during their time off to unwind and relax. They also have the option to take work vacations, such as the Eduvacation℠ of Destination CLEs, which allows lawyers to complete their continuing legal education credit hours while on vacation in beautiful locations around the world. 

6. Intellectual Challenge

After years of education, the intellectual challenges experienced by law students help stimulate them in their future careers as lawyers. They’re used to complex legal theories and difficult situations, which allows them to adapt well to the cases they have in their careers. Plus, attorneys know that as soon as they get into the legal industry, the challenges they have to face are often more difficult than what they experienced in school.

7. Work Environment

Lawyers who work in government agencies, corporations, or firms can work in an actual office. This is a far cry from cramped cubicles. Being a lawyer means they can typically be afforded the privacy of an office, unlike some other careers. Plus, some lawyers even hire assistants to take care of other responsibilities.

8. Respect and Prestige

Being a lawyer is one of the most prestigious professions around. Aside from the financial rewards and better hours, lawyers are also respected members of the community because they try to uphold justice and the law. The legal profession demands a certain level of authority over others, and even the media often views legal professionals as fascinating. While law school can be difficult to get through and the job of being an attorney can be a difficult one, most people recognize this and respect lawyers because of it. 

9. Make a Difference

Lawyers who want to make a real difference often start out as public defenders while they’re gaining valuable legal experience. This type of lawyer usually takes pro bono work or free service. Still, even highly paid lawyers make a difference in the lives of their clients who require their legal counsel.

10. Awareness of Rights

Probably the most important thing about being a lawyer is the awareness of rights and the legal process. The interpretation and understanding of rules and regulations are what lawyers do best. Through these, there is order and justice. 

Conclusion

While there are many perks of being a lawyer, there are also some downsides to the profession, just like with any other career.

Also, while lawyers may have a lot of perks, many responsibilities often come with this. As you can see, being a lawyer is not an easy job, but it does have its rewards. 

If you’re thinking about starting a legal career or are currently in law school, remember to think about the challenges and rewards that come with the job so that you can make an informed decision about your future. 

Are there any other perks we missed? Let us know in the comments below!

And if you know a lawyer who could use a little R&R, please share Destination CLEs with them. Lawyers work hard and they deserve to take a break!