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.
Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges, and question witnesses during the course of a trial.
Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation.
Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
Present and summarize cases to judges and juries.
Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.
Negotiate settlements of civil disputes.
Supervise legal assistants.
Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
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.
Prepare legal briefs and opinions, and file appeals in state and federal courts of appeal.
Search for and examine public and other legal records to write opinions or establish ownership.
Confer with colleagues with specialties in appropriate areas of legal issue to establish and verify bases for legal proceedings.
Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law.
Work in environmental law, representing public interest groups, waste disposal companies, or construction firms in their dealings with state and federal agencies.
Probate wills and represent and advise executors and administrators of estates.
Act as agent, trustee, guardian, or executor for businesses or individuals.
Help develop federal and state programs, draft and interpret laws and legislation, and establish enforcement procedures.
Data base user interface and query software — Abacus Data Systems AbacusLaw; LexisNexis CaseMap; Thomson Elite ProLaw; WorthMORE Software CaseWORTH
Data mining software — Google Analytics
Desktop publishing software — Microsoft Publisher
Document management software — Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat ; Microsoft Office SharePoint Server MOSS; Thomson West Cowles Estate Practice System; WealthCounsel WealthDocs
Electronic mail software — Catalyst Repository Systems CatalystDR; Catalyst Repository Systems CatalystXE; Microsoft Outlook ; Novell GroupWise
Enterprise resource planning ERP software — ERP software; SAP
Information retrieval or search software — Fastcase; LexisNexis Shepard's Citations Service; Thomson West WestlawPRO; Wolters Kluwer Loislaw
Internet browser software — Web browser software
Office suite software — Corel WordPerfect; Microsoft Office
Presentation software — IDEA TrialPro; Microsoft PowerPoint ; Verdict Systems Sanction; Visionary Legal Technologies Visionary Professional
Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Negotiation — Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Persuasion — Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Systems Analysis — Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Instructing — Teaching others how to do something.
Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Systems Evaluation — Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.