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Broadly speaking, legal careers fall into one of two categories. They are either concerned with enforcing existing laws, or in applying laws to sets of circumstances. In essence, this represents the typical divide between the theoretical and the practical, with each serving a vital role to keep the law functioning.

Law enforcement officers are concerned with the practical application of laws. Their roles are to notice that a law is being broken and work to enforce that law, or to keep those who may have broken the law in check while other aspects of their case can be sorted through. The skills required of those seeking law jobs in this arena are vastly different from those who are more concerned with its theoretical aspects.

There are a variety of additional factors to consider when pondering a career in law enforcement. Are your interests more in problem-solving? If so, then work as a detective or crime scene investigator may be where your interests lie. Are you more interested in treatment options for convicted criminals, working to help them become law-abiding citizens after release from incarceration? If so, consider a career in criminal psychology. If enforcing laws and apprehending criminals to protect the public is what draws you to law jobs, then work as a police officer may be what you like most. Many choices are available to you, but whichever you ultimately select will place you on a much different path than you’d be were you to pick something else.

If your interests are more theoretical, or if you prefer solving problems and breaking new ground, then legal employment as a lawyer may be just what you’re looking for. Choosing to become a lawyer is no simple decision, however, as there are as many options available to new lawyers as there are to those choosing careers in the more practical aspects of law. While the mass media image of an aggressive trial lawyer is

certainly a popular option, many other avenues are available, some which drastically contrast this popular stereotype of what lawyers must be.

Regardless of a lawyer’s specialization, their general duties are as an interface between clients and the complexities of the law. They serve to advise clients of their legal options and responsibilities, as well as to advocate for their clients within a legal framework. They also can interpret laws and outcomes of past cases as to determine whether a client’s actions or desires are upheld by or conflict with previous legal decisions.

The law is a complex subject. Those wishing to pursue law jobs as a lawyer must first select which areas of law they are interested in focusing upon. The course of study needed to become a criminal lawyer is vastly different than that for business law, family litigation or the numerous and rapidly evolving legal issues surrounding computing and the internet. While many fundamentals remain the same across fields, your choice of which aspect of the law interests you will determine your course of study, and perhaps even where those studies will take place.

While all lawyers can represent clients in trial, not all do. Many choose to spend all of their time working outside of courtrooms, instead focusing upon the research needed to support trial lawyers with current cases. Still others focus on helping individuals and organizations to comply with the law, pursuing needed licenses and honoring other requirements. Still others perform common tasks which may require the weight of law to succeed. Drafting a legally-binding will or contract, or creating a trust are just two of many tasks which can easily be carried out poorly without careful adherence to and knowledge of the legal requirements in the specific area of interest.

Law Jobs: Getting Started If you’re interested in law jobs, then there are quite a few factors to consider. The law is a complex field, and pursuing a legal profession

requires that you make quite a few decisions before even embarking on your path. Here are a few factors which you must consider

before pursuing legal employment.

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