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Lawyer Job Description: Top Duties and Requirements

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Lawyers are legal professionals who represent either the plaintiff or defendant in lawsuits, depending on their specialty. They may be employed by law firms or a prosecutor’s office, be self-employed, or work for federal, provincial, or municipal governments. Lawyers are responsible for handling each step of the litigation process and ensuring their clients receive fair treatment in legal proceedings.

Lawyer duties and responsibilities

A successful lawyer may handle various duties pertaining to your firm and clients. Their main responsibility is to represent your clients to the best of their ability so the client and your organization will have a favourable outcome. Here are some specific daily duties you may wish to include in your lawyer job description:

  • Advise clients of their legal rights and all matters related to the law.
  • Draw up legal documents such as real estate transactions, wills, divorces, and contracts.
  • Prepare cases and gather evidence.
  • Plead clients’ cases before courts of law, tribunals, and boards.
  • Negotiate settlements.
  • Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law.
  • May act as mediator, conciliator, or arbitrator.
  • May act as executor, trustee, or guardian in estate and family law matters.

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Lawyer Job Description Examples:

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What does a lawyer do?

Lawyers review case law and legislation to determine how to proceed with a case and predict the outcome of events in court or before a tribunal. They advise and represent clients on legal matters and draw up legal documents such as contracts and wills. Lawyers also research cases, gather evidence, draw up paperwork for motions, requests, or briefs, and interview witnesses.

Lawyer skills and qualifications

A successful lawyer has various skills and qualifications that fulfill the prerequisites for your job opening, including:

  • Analytical and research skills: Effective at analyzing details, obtaining information, and inferring context from witnesses.
  • Attention to detail: Strong ability to spot inconsistencies in cases or witness information.
  • Exceptional organizational skills: Has developed excellent record-keeping practices to organize important client documents and keep track of hearing dates and appointments.
  • Effective time management: Staying on track in meetings, mediations, and hearings is important when charging an hourly rate to clients.
  • Persuasive communication techniques: Successfully relating to clients, witnesses, and opposing counsel while achieving a positive outcome for the client.
  • Legal writing skills: Excellent ability to document caseloads and casework, write query letters, and file appeals and other applications.
  • Technical skills: Possesses specialized skills such as extensive knowledge of legal and technical terms and has experience with various software and online applications.

Lawyer experience requirements

Having met the educational requirements to practise law in Canada, the candidate’s work experience needed to become a lawyer includes articling with a registered legal organization for nine months to one year, but this can vary depending on the province or territory. This occurs after the individual attains a law degree but before they become licensed to practice law. An articling student works under the supervision of a licensed lawyer and can gain experience in either a private practice or government office.

Lawyer education and training requirements

To become a lawyer in Canada, students will complete an undergraduate degree before taking the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) for admission into law school. Once they have completed a law degree, the student will article with a law firm for about one year, and then must pass the bar admission exams in the province where they plan to practise.

Lawyer salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, a lawyer in Canada can expect to earn an average salary of $102,044 per year. This varies depending on location, experience, and size of the company hiring.

Job description samples for similar positions

If this lawyer job description sample information does not quite match your company’s specific employment needs, consider these job descriptions for similar positions:

Lawyer job description FAQs

What are some areas of specialization for lawyers in Canada?

In Canada, there are many kinds of specializations lawyers can focus on, such as:

  • Corporate law 
  • Family law (divorce, child custody) 
  • Criminal law 
  • Real estate law 
  • Employment law 
  • Intellectual property law 
  • Civil litigation 

What are the ethical obligations of a lawyer in Canada?

The ethical obligations of a lawyer in Canada are:

  • Duty to the court 
  • Duty of confidentiality to clients 
  • Professional conduct standards set by the Law Society of the relevant province or territory

What is the difference between a lawyer and a paralegal in Canada?

A lawyer is a fully licensed legal professional who can represent clients in court and provide legal advice. A paralegal can assist lawyers with specific tasks under supervision and typically does not appear in court.

What is a junior associate?

A junior associate is a newly licensed lawyer typically working under the guidance of senior lawyers in a law firm.

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Job Description Examples

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