Lawyers represent either the plaintiff the party that’s filing or initiating legal action or the defendant, the party that’s being sued or charged. They advance their clients’ cases through oral argument and written documents, and they counsel clients on how the facts of their particular case apply to the law.
Lawyers’ roles and daily responsibilities can vary considerably, depending upon their practice environment and field of specialization.
- Interview new clients and meet with existing clients to render legal advice.
- Perform legal research to determine how the facts of a case interact with current law.
- Perform case research by taking depositions, attending site inspections, and engaging in discovery, the exchange of information pertinent to a case from both parties to the action.
- Argue motions and attend other pretrial court appearances before a judge.
- Draft legal documents including pleadings, discovery, motions, briefs, contracts, and wills.
- Follow up after a court decision has been handed down or a settlement has been reached, ensuring that all parties to action do what they’ve been committed or ordered to do.
