The legal system involves nearly every aspect of our society, from buying a home to crossing the street. Lawyers form the spine of this vital system, linking it to society in numerous ways. For that reason, they hold places of great responsibility and are obligated to adhere to a strict code of ethics.
Lawyers, also called attorneys, act as both advocates and consultants in our society. As advocates, they stand for one of the parties in criminal and civil trials by presenting evidence and arguing in court to support their client. As advisors, lawyers encourage their customers fearing their legal rights and requirements and suggest exacting courses of action in business and personal matters. Whether acting as an follower or an advisor, all attorneys investigate the aim of laws and judicial results and concern the law to the specific circumstances faced by their client. The more detailed features of a lawyer’s job depend upon his or her field of occupation and position. Although all attorneys are permitted to symbolize parties in court, some appear in court more frequently than others. Trial lawyers, who focus in trial work, must be able to think rapidly and speak with ease and authority. In addition, acquaintance with courtroom rules and strategy is chiefly important in trial work. Still, trial lawyers spend the majority of their time outside the courtroom, conducting research, interviewing clients and witnesses, and handling other details in preparation for a trial. Lawyers may specialize in a number of areas, such as bankruptcy, probate, international, or elder law. Those specializing in ecological law, for example, may represent interest groups, waste disposal companies, or construction firms in their dealings with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other Federal and State agencies. Some lawyers concentrate in the growing field of intellectual possessions, helping to look after clients’ claims to copyrights, artwork under contract, product designs, and computer programs. Still other lawyers counsel indemnity companies about the legitimacy of insurance transactions, guiding the company in writing insurance policies to conform with the law and to protect the companies from unwarranted claims. When asserts are filed against indemnity companies, these attorneys review the claims and stand for the companies in court. Lawyers are more and more using various forms of technology to perform their varied tasks more competently. Although all lawyers carry on to use law libraries to organize cases, some complement conservative printed sources with computer sources, such as the Internet and legal databases. Software is used to look for this legal literature automatically and to recognize legal texts relevant to a precise case. In proceedings involving many supporting documents, lawyers may use computers to put in order and index material. Lawyers also use electronic filing, videoconferencing, and voice-recognition technology to share information more effectively with other parties involved in a case. |