Lawyers
2.Representing
-appears before an agency -appears before legistative comittee (presents information) -serves as public spokemen for client
Lawyers in the Government
1/3 Federal Level 2/3 State Level
How many acredited law schools are there in the U.S.?
200
Law School is how many years
3 year full time post college
Contingency Fee
30-40%, a lawyers cut out of the Monatary Damages decided by the court
How many non credited law schools are there?
50 -California
Criminal Cases
94 Districts in the United States Each District gets a U.S. Attorney to oversee the district court
What affect does Geography have on a Lawyer
Affects their pay and ideally the rate per hour. A lawyer is New York is much expensive then a lawyer of North Dakota
What are the 200 Acredited law school broken into?
American Bar Association & Association of American Law Schools
7. Filing of Document
Basic Clerical Task in the Office
How is Law School taught?
Casebook-reading court appellate opinons Socratic Method- professor will keep asking "why" "what if". Purpose being to draw more answers out of you and be able to think on your feet. A characteristic that is much needed in the courtroom as a lawyer
Christopher Columbus Langdell
Dean of Law at Harvard Changed Law School from 2 to 3 years made Law school harder to get into.
When did Law School become popular
During the times of Industrial Revolution (1867-1900)
Local Government Attorney
Each City or County has Solictor
State Government Lawyers
Each State has a Attorney General 43 States elect the AG by the voters 4 year term, no term limit
Capitol Offense
For people that are considered indigent (below the poverty line) Government has to provide attorney
How many states today allow an apprenticeship to become a lawyer?
Four
Getting into Law School is based off two things
GPA- Grade Point Average LSAT- Law School Admission Test
Office of Solicitor
General of U.S. is assigned by the President Decides which cases get petitioned
1974 Legal Services Corporation
Go between Congress and Legal Aid to pay for family matter seeks grants aid
Role of Attorney General
Handle Civil Cases Appellate Process Advisory Opinion- what you can and cant do/ should or shouldn't do
Federal Lawyers
Handle Criminal Cases Handle Civil Cases (State v Last Name) Appellate Court
Department of Justice
Has the most Federal Lawyers They are appointed by the Attorney General Majority Vote in Senate
To become a lawyer you must...
Have good moral character. This is determined by the state.
Integrated v Voluntary
Integrated states force you to join the bar. Voluntary you do not have to join the bar
5. Counseling
Legal Advice
4. Drafting
Legal Documents for Court
First Law School
Litchfeild School in Connecticut. Founded by Judge Tapping Reeve in 1784
Apprenticeship
Paid a lawyer to learn, copy their notes, and understand law. When the time was ready the aprrentee would go before a judge and if he was ready... become a lawyer
To become a lawyer you must...
Pass the Bar Exam -test based on your knowledge of the law -legal ethics -state law -2/3 pass -multiple choice
3. Negotiation
Resolve a dispute short of going to court
Legal Insurance
Same Concept as Health Insurance
How many functions of a Lawyer are there?
Seven
Legal Clinic
Specialized in one part of the law
District Attorney
States Attorney 4 year term, oversees office ADA's do the work because they are hired as new lawyers
Lawyer Statistics
There is almost 1,000,000 lawyers today 75% of these lawyers are in private practice (civil) White Male is the dominant lawyer (but this is changing) California and New York make up for 25% of the countries lawyers
How did Lawyers become lawyers in the early Coloniel Times
There was no law school, lawyers became lawyers through an Apprenticeship.
In a firm, a Associate
does all the legal for a Partner usually fresh out of law school
Legal Clinic
high volume, high efficiency firms that work for middle class people Get most of their clients through advertising Paralegals do most of the work
Court Appointed Attorney
hourly fee below the rate of average attorney
1. Litigating
in court (trial) appellate oral arguement Lawyers spend little time in the courtroom and they like to keep it that way
6. Legal Research
looking up old statues in referance to a case that is relevant ot the attorney
Specialist
only handles a specific sectiion of the law
In a firm, a Partner
oversees all Associates (6-10)
Public Defenders
work for the government