If you are interested in a legal career, you may want to learn more about the profession of lawyer . This professional is at the service of those who require assistance to defend their case in court. In addition, this legal specialist also plays an advisory role, in particular to prevent the case from being taken to court. In this article, we will discuss the profession of lawyer, we will cite the skills necessary to become one, the average salary, the required training as well as the opportunities of the profession.

What is a lawyer?

A lawyer is a person authorized to practice law. This professional is required to uphold the law while protecting the rights of individuals. He or she can represent his or her clients (an individual or a company) in a civil or criminal trial, by presenting evidence in their defense. This specialist also advises his or her clients on their legal rights or obligations and follows them on the best way to proceed with their legal situation. He or she will first try to provide them with legal recommendations in order to avoid ending up in court.

The lawyer also carries out a lot of research to answer the legal problems he has to face. He thus interprets regulations, laws and legal decisions.

Also read: What does a lawyer do? (With salary and skills)

What are the different branches of law?

Many lawyers are generalists of law and therefore deal with various areas of law. However, it is important to note that the branches of law are very varied. Thus, some will decide to specialize in a particular area. This will allow them to acquire more knowledge in one of the branches of law. We detail them below:

Public law

Public law includes all the rules that concern the organization and functioning of the State, the administration and local authorities. This includes constitutional law, administrative law and tax law.

Private law

Private law includes all the rules of law that relate to individuals. These include civil law (such as family law), social law (such as labor law), business law (such as commercial law) and rural law.

Public international law

Public international law governs relations between international organizations and the State, such as the UN, NATO or the Security Council. It is based mainly on international treaties and conventions.

What are the duties of a lawyer?

Legal specialists are very versatile people. Indeed, they can perform various daily tasks, ranging from theoretical research to defending a client in court. In addition, their missions will be distinct depending on their specialization. Nevertheless, we can cite some of their main activities, here they are:

provide legal advice;

research and collect information, such as finding legal texts, laws or regulations that they can then use;

How to become a lawyer?

To become a lawyer you will need to complete university studies which will then allow you to register with the bar and take the oath. We discuss this in this section.

University education

First of all, you will need to complete a baccalaureate, preferably a general baccalaureate. This will then allow you to join a law faculty in which you will complete a master 1 or a master 2 in law. You will also be able to specialize in criminal law, criminal sciences, social law, tax law or another area of ​​law.

Related to the article:

Which baccalaureate should I choose to become a lawyer?

Guide to legal training

Competition to join a Regional Center for Professional Training of Lawyers (CRFPA)

After having validated your bac +4 in law or your bac +5 in IEP , ESC Pau or economic sciences, you will be able to register for the lawyers’ competition. In this way, you will be able to join a Regional Center for Professional Training of Lawyers (CRFPA).

Lawyer training

Candidates who have accessed the CRFPA must complete two years of training, accompanied by various internships. During the first year, students complete two internships, namely a lawyer internship and an internship in the field of law. At the end of this first year, the student obtains the Certificate of Aptitude for the Profession of Lawyer ( CAPA ).

This certification allows him to access the second year of training. A new internship in a law firm is required during the second year. During his internship as a lawyer, the candidate may consider specializing in a field of law, as well as remaining a generalist in law. When these two years are over, the student will be able to take the oath and register with the bar, which will allow him to practice the profession of lawyer.

Those who have just graduated as a lawyer and have completed their internship are generally hired as employees. After a few years of experience, they may be able to work as collaborators in a law firm. Finally, some will decide to set up their own firm.

What are the professional skills and qualities required to be a lawyer?

The lawyer must master multiple professional skills to carry out his or her activity. These specialists require advanced technical knowledge , particularly in pleading in court. In addition, they must also have interpersonal skills that allow them to be good communicators and create a bond of trust with their clients. Here are the main skills and qualities required in this field:

1. Communication

A large part of a lawyer’s job is to communicate. Whether written or oral, communication must be well studied. These professionals are generally very good speakers, capable of pleading in front of an audience. In addition, they are also good writers. Most of them have their own writing style.

2. Stress resistance

With sometimes tight deadlines, lawyers must be able to work efficiently, while respecting official deadlines.