According to the laws, a person who receives the appropriate status in the prescribed manner is called a lawyer.
Working as a lawyer today is promising and well paid. This profession is in great demand, as many people turn to specialists who can provide highly qualified legal assistance.
How to become a lawyer?
To provide appropriate legal services that relate to the protection of the rights and interests of citizens, you need to have not only a legal education, but also sufficient work experience.
Salary of lawyers reaches 35-100 thousand rubles, depending on experience and qualifications. How much does it cost to become a lawyer? The parents of a future lawyer will have to spend from 23,000 to 245,000 rubles on education, depending on the level and popularity of the educational institution.
It is worth noting that only those persons who have graduated from a law school that has state accreditation become a lawyer. A person who has a degree in a speci alty called "Jurisprudence" can also work as a lawyer.
Legal status of lawyers
Status of a lawyerregulated by legal acts that take into account all the nuances of obtaining a certificate that gives the right to practice law.
A lawyer is a person who represents the interests of individuals in labor disputes, in courts or in relevant tax cases. It is worth noting that he is not always the defender of the accused party, since victims can also hire a specialist to obtain legal assistance.
It should also be noted that the types of legal assistance provided by a lawyer can only relate to issues of the corresponding category. For example, you can hire a specialist who has perfect knowledge in a narrow area (for example, in criminal proceedings or in the field of civil cases).
If you indicate what you need to become a lawyer, you should also mention the mandatory passing of the relevant exams in oral and written form. In case of an unsatisfactory result, retesting can be done no earlier than in a year.
Additional conditions for obtaining a lawyer status
If you are interested in how to become a lawyer, then you should know that the appropriate education is not enough. It is obligatory to pass, as already noted, a lawyer's exam, which is taken by the qualification commission of the institution in which it is planned to work. The written part of the exam includes computer testing. During the oral exam, the future employee is checked for readiness for work, as well as for moralbusiness qualities.
You also need to have the appropriate work experience. So, a person must work in the legal speci alty for at least two years or undergo an internship for a year in any law firm. It is worth noting that this takes into account only certain speci alties - a judge, a notary, a lawyer, as well as work in municipal institutions, which requires a legal education. To gain experience, it is recommended to work as a paralegal or trainee. In any case, an employment contract is signed.
Powers of a lawyer
His legal work includes the following:
• providing advice on various legal issues;
• assistance with filing applications and complaints or other legal documentation;
• lawyer represents the interests of the principal;
• he is a representative in administrative and civil proceedings;
• A lawyer can act as a defense counsel in criminal cases;
• among its main functions, it should also be noted representation in tax authorities.
If you want to know how to become a lawyer in order to be able to perform such a list of jobs, you should familiarize yourself with the relevant Federal Law and the Code of Professional Attorney Ethics.
It should be noted that it is difficult to work as a lawyer without organizing a form of activity, so you can choose one of the possible options - to open a lawyer's office, collegium or bureau. In addition, you can organizelegal advice.
Legal assistance of a lawyer: features
The main types of legal assistance provided by a lawyer can be described as follows:
1. Consultations and explanations regarding certain legal issues, issuance of oral or written information on legislation.
Lawyers who are not busy with litigation receive citizens. Their work is carried out according to a schedule that is drawn up in advance. To improve the level of legal aid, some lawyers may specialize exclusively in public law matters, while others are better versed in criminal or family law.
2. Lawyers issue legal documents. So, during the consultation, they are obliged to explain the legislation and, if necessary, issue a certificate.
3. They also represent in courts and organizations in public affairs, as well as in cases concerning administrative violations. At the same time, the powers of the lawyer are certified by a warrant issued by the legal advice office with which the agreement on the provision of legal assistance was concluded.
4. The lawyer takes part in the preliminary investigation, acts as a defense counsel during the trial, and also as a representative of the civil defendant or the victim.
5. It may also provide other legal assistance. At the same time, the Law “On the Bar” does not clearly establish a list of services that can bebe assigned to this category.
Psychological aspects of the work of a lawyer
When providing legal assistance, a lawyer must examine various facts and comprehend them from a defensive position, that is, he must be able to use and analyze certain information in order to achieve mitigation of his client's guilt or even his complete acquittal.
In order to comprehend everything and achieve success, a lawyer needs to be able to properly build relationships not only with his client, but also with other people who are related to the trial - with investigators, prosecutors, defendants. In addition, it is important to establish psychological contact with the client, as well as to compare the legal and real possibility of providing assistance, which in some cases may have the form of a certain psychological impact.
At the same time, individual psychological qualities, professional skills of a lawyer, the level of his experience and knowledge, as well as his general and professional culture, a correct understanding of the procedural position by the defender are important.
Types of free legal assistance
Free legal assistance is provided in the following forms:
• legal advice, which can be oral or written;
• assistance in drafting applications, complaints, and other legal documents;
• Representing the interests of citizens in state or civil bodies, as well as in courts in the manner prescribed by the Federal Law.
It should be noted that there are categories of citizens who canenjoy free legal advice. These are, for example, disabled people of groups 1 and 2, people with incomes below the established subsistence level, orphans and their guardians (only in some cases), war veterans, incapacitated persons and their representatives, minors who are in prison and etc.
Providing free legal assistance by a lawyer includes written advice, as well as drafting various legal documents. A lawyer provides free representation of citizens in court in cases where a person is a plaintiff or defendant in court, requires recognition of the right to housing or land, confirmation of incapacity, as well as when considering cases of compulsory treatment or after political repressions.
Personal qualities a lawyer should have
In this profession, a person must have good perseverance, since it will take a long time to study various regulatory documents, especially at the beginning of a career, when there is not enough work experience yet. A lawyer must be an excellent speaker and be able to carry himself confidently when speaking in public. In addition, professional activity in the legal field requires a good memory and logical thinking, as well as an outstanding intellect and an analytical mindset. Working as a lawyer also requires, in some cases, making important decisions instantly (“on the go”).
It should be noted that another important quality that a professional lawyer should have is communication skills. Forit is also important for him to disengage from any situations (even when they concern him personally).
It must be said that being a lawyer is not easy. So, the status of a lawyer does not allow you to engage in entrepreneurial activities or be on the staff of any organization. In addition, he must allocate certain funds for the needs of the Bar Association, as well as make certain entrance fees (informally).
Advantages of lawyers over non-lawyer employees
How to become a lawyer, we have already considered. Now let's give the advantages of a lawyer's status over a simple lawyer:
1. Lawyers cannot be interrogated for information they learn in the course of a case, and searches of offices or residences of lawyers are prohibited without a court order.
2. A lawyer may visit persons held in penitentiary institutions. He has full access to all the materials of the case and can cooperate with the investigation in favor of his client.
3. He can submit requests to any state bodies and organizations that are required to respond within a specified time frame.
4. A lawyer may be in the role of an investigative body during the interrogation of witnesses or suspects, as well as other persons who may be connected in some way with the case.
5. Only a person with the status of a lawyer can represent organizations in court, without being part of their staff.
It can be generalized that work is quite complex and responsiblelawyer. Reviews about this profession are usually positive, because with good work experience and high qualifications of the employee, there is always a demand for lawyer services, which brings a good income. The only thing you need is an excellent knowledge of all laws and perseverance in the performance of your professional duties.
