Introduction
In the not so distant past, the term lawyer referred to different things. For instance, in some countries it was used to describe people working as solicitors as well as barristers. There was a difference between these two jobs: the solicitors made the first contact with the client while barristers defended the client in court. Nowadays, these two jobs aren’t so different anymore and solicitors can also represent a client. To be able to make that distinction, a few law firms built their private “barrister chambers”. Therefore, if you want to become a city lawyer you need to decide which branch you want to join at an early stage.
About the legal profession
Students at law schools are often asked why they want to become a city lawyer. The most common answer from the majority of them is: “to help people”. The thing is that this affirmation isn’t accurate. A city lawyer isn’t involved only when things go wrong. For instance, he can be involved in company mergers or when buying a house. Plus, being a city lawyer isn’t all about the money, because building your reputation takes time and you get paid with the minimum salary, like everyone else. There are law firms paying their employees with more than $90,000 but trainees get on average only $18,000.
Working with private clients
A city lawyer can choose to work with private clients. Some might say that this is a dusty job. Well, it isn’t. The truth is that he deals with real problems coming from real people. Some people say that this is actually the field where you can really help someone. When you work with a private client, you get to know that person and you can help him with his personal affairs. To be able to work as a city lawyer, you need to be up to speed with everything because this is a field that changes rapidly and it is highly intellectually demanding.
Definitions of private clients
When you say “private client”, you say individuals and not multinational organizations. Nowadays, the term is generally used when you are working with tax planning, trusts, wills and probate. As a city lawyer, you’ll also have to cross over into other fields like property law or matrimonial issues. You will have to be able to work with different people all the time and mold on their needs. Generally, you’ll deal with contractual disputes, wills, disputes over taxes and other related issues.
In order to become a respected lawyer, you will have to work harder than other people in the same field but working hours usually depend on the firm you’re working at. You need to show interest and get involved in any aspect of the case. Law firms allow regular office hours from 9am to 5pm in most cases. Other firms will ask you to work weekends and sometimes after 5pm. Thus, be prepared to spend nights at the office and don’t make plans in advance because you’ll be forced to cancel because this job will take up all of your time.
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