The Laws and the Lawyers
In a society of people, whether in modern cities and areas or in a small tribe of people, different kinds of laws are being formulated by the law makers or the legislators or by any authorized person in any system of government. It doesn’t matter what form government one country has, the only thing common in all kinds of the system of government is that laws are being established. Even tribes and groups of people living in forests and are a quite distant from modern civilization have their own laws being established. Even if one can turn back the time and visit the ancient civilization and compare it from the present day system, one can say that the purpose of these laws is just the same.
These laws are enforced to any person under the jurisdiction of the government. These laws served as the basis for any person, whether a law enforcer or just an ordinary citizen, to determine whether or not any violation or disturbance has been made by anybody. There are laws, which are only directed to a specified group of people in the society while there are some, which exempt one from another law or set of laws. The laws being established are not always considered perfect that is, why whenever there are some issues, which have to be resolved concerning the current laws, the legislators made some consultations and made some thorough reviews on the specifications of that particular law. Unfortunately, in spite of these established laws, sometimes these are not enough for police the people’s misbehavior or mistakes.
Most people who pursue in studying law often go through a lot of efforts in studying due to its scope. It is not easy for one to be able to be familiarized with all the existing laws that even professionals like judges and attorneys even needs a lot of time to study and review the cases they are handling. There are some laws, which are being revised from time to time, while there are some, which are no longer considered as a law. It is because of these modifications that a person with a career in law is still continuously studying.
People who choose to pursue in studying law usually choose to become a lawyer. Lawyers are paid not only with their presence in court trials but one of the responsibilities of a lawyer is being an adviser. Lawyers advise their clients in the actions they need to do and most of the times, the first thing a lawyer does is to try and settle their clients’ legal conflicts by settling it without having a court trial. They may be called as mediators. Mediators convene with the parties involved and will listen to the problem at hand, discuss possible options in order for the people involved to help them come up with an agreement. Once it cannot be settled outside the court, then a court trial may commence and the lawyers are the ones who will stand in court to represent their client and defend them by all possible means to win the legal battle. Lawyers who already had a lot of experiences in both handling and winning of legal cases may be appointed or designated to serve as judges. They preside in courtrooms during trials. In places where a jury system is being adapted, the judges preside over on points of law and inform the members of the jury about certain laws that direct the case. If there are no members of the jury in a trial, the judge will decide the facts, administrates proposals, resolves any argument during the court trial and issues the judgment.
A lot of people may think that lawyers are needed only during court trials but most judges encourage the lawyers to settle their clients’ problem without having a court trial. Court trials only occur once the conflict will not be settled outside the court. A lot of people may not always understand the explanations behind these laws, but just like any other transaction, laws also undergo certain processes. People may sometimes get impatient with the processes in any court trial but one should understand that like just like anybody who is about to take an examination, through study and reviews are needed in order to come up with a justifiable judgment.
Ignorance of the Law Excuses No One
The law is a systematic set of binding rules that puts order into the world. It affects every aspect of the society such as the economy, politics, education, and many more. It serves as a guide on how to live in a manner that conforms to social norms and values. It actually varies from other country, that is, some countries have certain laws that are not present in other countries or otherwise not applicable to other countries although we have also certain laws that are considered universal or common to every country. The law is there to provide organized answers and solutions to society’s problems immaterial of its degree of complexity, that is, whether there are simple or complex in nature. It establishes what actions are to be considered lawful or permitted by the law and what actions are unlawful or not permitted by the law. In addition, the law provides measures when certain life events stimulate a drastic change in the lives of the people affected by the change.
The law provides constraints, provides the citizens their rights and privileges, and establishes their obligations as citizens of a certain country. The government is the one who enforces the law and keeps the society in a state of order. The responsibility of the government as law enforcer is very big in the sense that it provides order not only within a single state but for the whole country. It is responsible for the general safety of the entire citizens living in the country as well as the protection of their lives and their properties.
The law also provides the regulation of the different professions from a simple preschool teacher to a corporate lawyer. It regulates the different licensure examinations of the different professions in society. Not only that, the law is also the one that regulates the proper distribution of goods and services to the public. It is responsible for the even allocation of the countries goods from the poorest sectors of the society up to the elite and well-off persons of the country. Furthermore, the law also regulates and provides protection to the economy of a country. It is responsible for maintaining economic stability and fairness among all establishments whether public or private.
With regards to the environment, the law stipulates many bills that would protect the welfare of Mother Nature and this includes the law that governs the cleanliness of the air that we breathe, the clearness of the water that we drink, and the abundance of the trees in the forests. The law makes it sure that the environment is very well protected and proper waste disposal is implemented so as to prevent the deleterious effects that toxic waste can bring to the world we live in. With regards to health, the law stipulates numerous bills so as to protect the health of the general public. For instance, some countries provide free immunizations to children as part of the government’s health program to help improve the state of health of the public. Another example is the special privilege that the elderly or what we consider senior citizens have with regards to health-related benefits. The emphasis on the elderly only goes to show that the law gives a lot of importance to health not only for the young and the active, but also for the old and the aged.
When talking about penalties or punishments with regards to violating the law, any form of violation to the law has a corresponding weighted punishment and this applies to all citizens of the entire world irregardless of race, gender, age, and political status in the society. No one escapes the claws of the law and if one does commit a violation, he or she must suffer the consequences of the actions committed. Since the law exercises equality among all sectors and different walks of life in the society, there is a due process of the law, that is, anyone who has been suspected to violate the law is not considered guilty until proven. The suspect is to undergo a series of trials or hearing. If proven guilty, appropriate punishment is then given to the violator. Therefore, the law does not only give provisions to the citizens of the society in terms of economy, health, and environment, it also exercises the right of equality.
Becoming a Lawyer
What comes to mind when see the abbreviation “Atty.” preceding the name of a person? Do we see them as somebody who is always in the courtroom defending the criminals or somebody who is tough enough to shout in the court, “Objection your honor!”? Although once in a while this scenario might be true, it’s certainly not the case all the time. Probably, this is just how we got to know the profession. As a matter of fact, plenty of lawyers out there have never even stepped a foot inside the courtroom because, in reality, these are not just the things a lawyer can be. Aside from being a public defender and a prosecutor in criminal trials, a lawyer can help merchants sue customers for unsettled dues, assist clients in generating wills, advise clients in a divorce, research tax law and international trade, prepare loan documents for banks and many others.
What is it about being a lawyer that many choose to pursue this degree? There are a multitude of reasons and one is having numerous career options to choose from given the fact that the legal profession is expanding at a rapid pace. One can be a barrister, a divorce lawyer, a city counsel, an injury lawyer or a city attorney. For those aspiring for a career in litigation, there are diverse specialization areas like family law, corporate law, criminal law, civil law, labor law and contract law to name a few. It is right to say that for as long as the society exists, there will always be crimes and criminals. Therefore, lawyers will never be out of work because their law degree will be their key to find work.
Career consultants disclose that the legal profession is tremendously profitable in today’s employment market hence; another most obvious reason for practicing your law degree is the ample financial rewards. For instance, barristers joining a law firm can earn huge amounts of money. In addition, there are a few law firms who appoint top graduates from law schools and offer them attractive compensation packages as well as added bonuses.
Furthermore, by means of studying law, it cannot be denied that communication skills are exceedingly improved as most of their professional life is going to be devoted communicating with clients. Actually, those individuals who finished a degree in legal studies and opt to seek other professions, will have better chances than other candidates in terms of good communication skills. Not only will it help them with their career but also their personal lives wherein good communication plays an important role for better and effective interaction with family and friends.
Other significant benefits of having a law degree is the ability to see the world in a different way. It is all about regularly meeting fresh challenges and finding solutions for them. The capacity to identify what is right from wrong will enable you to make better decisions and choices. Subsequently, the acquired skill will help you deal effectively with varying issues and situations even though at times lawyer tens to make the right things appear wrong and vice versa. Furthermore, these occurrences will enrich your profession and personal experiences.
Your contribution to society as a lawyer, in carrying out noble social services by helping the innocent people find justice as well as bringing offenders to justice lies within your hands. In this way, you are able to gain a certain degree of awe and respect from the people.
Being designated as an attorney doesn’t only mean winning a case or just helping others resolve their legal problems. However, it is allowing oneself to experience the gift of helping people in ways that most individuals are not capable of doing despite the fact that is intellectually fulfilling. Pursuing a career as an attorney is a dignified goal to embark on and reality is, the road towards this great and rewarding career choice, seems to be a daunting one. Contrary to what most people’s impression that going to a law school is just about passing the LSAT exam and obtaining a high score, becoming a lawyer is never an easy task as many of those law students who aspire to become respected lawyers someday, go through a myriad of hard hurdles. Their journey involves investment of time, effort, energy and above all, money. However, despite all the hardships in preparing to become a lawyer, the fruits of their labor will surely pay in the end.
To some, a lawyer is somebody who is intelligent and exceptionally good with arguments and although this is a great quality to possess, dedication and perseverance are perhaps the greatest.