Just as a musician knows and practices music, a lawyer knows and practices law (although the consensus is that a lawyer actually knows and practices lying). Alternately, a lawyer is a master of logic. Thus, a lawyer, or attorney, is someone who knows current and past legislation and applies logic to this knowledge to facilitate legal matters. Indeed, they are the very adhesive that holds together the fabric of liberty; without lawyers, civilians are at the mercy of an abstruse and often incomprehensible legal system.
What do Lawyers Know?
Each requirement to become an attorney is fulfilled through a different avenue. A lawyer achieves his or her expertise in technical material such as courtroom procedures and nuances of the various branches of law through studying at law school. Further, a certification to practice law is garnered through the bar exam (which differs for each state and thus, must be taken separately). Alternately, the primary skills necessary to become a successful attorney are not learned along the path one must take in order to become one.
For example, just as one must already have some skill in geometry before entering architecture school, one must already have a proficiency in logical reasoning before entering law school, as this is of what the entrance examination, known as the LSAT (Law School Administration Council), is entirely comprised. Additionally, lawyers must be articulate, observant, and organized in order to viably pursue the practice law (although lawyers are not necessarily amoral, the adeptly deceitful tend to benefit as well).
Despite these essential competencies, prelaw studies are not a prerequisite for law school. One can just as feasibly study basket weaving prior to applying to law school and still have a chance for acceptance. Law schools generally concentrate more heavily on overall academic performance and LSAT scores rather than what was studied.
What do Lawyers Do?
Generally, the first thing that comes to mind when considering attorneys is criminal law. This is an understandable assessment, given the glamorization aptly provided by the likes of “Law and Order” or “To Kill a Mockingbird” and the fact that at least 75% of certified attorneys engage in private practices, most of which include criminal law. Nonetheless, law is an expansive subject comprised of a myriad practices, to include corporate law, civil law, education law, property law, labor law, environmental law, family law, health law, immigration law, intellectual property law, real estate law, sports and entertainment law, and tax law. Of course, even the government employs attorneys, most of which are allocated to the Department of Justice. Thus, while defending the guilty or prosecuting the innocent may be a concern for the more conscientious prospective attorney, there is always the option to defend civil rights or physical well being – or become a politician.
What Was That About Becoming a Politician?
Yes, many lawyers become politicians – so much, in fact, that some assume that it is a natural career path (like, say, going from Air Force private to astronaut). The two disciplines are actually separate and this distinction is more apparent in other countries, but this does not belie the prevalence of this connection in the United States. Studies indicate that it is due to an intrinsic compatibility between the professions, such as:
- Ambition
- A familiarity with legislation
- A concentration on profit or investment
- A background in political science
- The ability to establish contacts
- Eloquence and the ability to “think on one’s feet”
- The ability to feign sincerity
A more pragmatic explanation, though, could be that in order to be a representative in a government mostly composed of a network of legislation and litigation (via our glorious system of checks, balances, and damaged credit – alright, perhaps not really the latter), one must first be knowledgeable in legislation and litigation through training and through continued legal education.