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This occupation is part of the Legal cluster

About the Job

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.

It is also Called

  • Admiralty Lawyer
  • Agency Legal Counsel
  • Assistant Attorney General
  • Assistant Corporation Counsel
  • Assistant Counsel
  • Assistant County Attorney
  • Assistant District Attorney
  • Assistant Federal Public Defender
  • Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
  • Assistant Prosecutor

What They Do

  • Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
  • Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation.
  • Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges and question witnesses during the course of a trial.
  • Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
  • Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
  • Present and summarize cases to judges and juries.
  • Prepare legal briefs and opinions, and file appeals in state and federal courts of appeal.
  • Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
  • Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
  • Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.

Interests

People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: EI.

This means people who work in this occupation generally have Enterprising interests, but also prefer Investigative environments.

Work Values

People who work in this occupation generally prize Recognition, but also value Achievement and Working Conditions in their jobs.

Things They Need to Know

  • Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Things They Need to Be Able to Do

  • 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.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • 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.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Additional Resources


Education Required

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Wages

In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $153,480.00 with most people making between $73,950.00 and n/a

Outlook

0.97%
avg. annual growth

During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 86,700 people in California. It is projected that there will be 95,100 employed in 2020.

This occupation will have about 840 openings due to growth and about 1,650 replacement openings for approximately 2,490 total annual openings.

Common College Majors

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