It can be hard to know exactly what it’s like to be personal injury lawyer if you’re not in the industry, and TV shows like Suits can leave you with a wry idea of what being a lawyer is really like. If you have interest in becoming a lawyer, there’s a good chance you want to know what you’ll be faced with on a day-to-day basis. From researching cases to making phone calls, you’re going to be undertaking various tasks in your typical work day, and you need to know what you’re in for.
What Your Hours Might Look Like
The first few years of your law career are going to be the most impactful, albeit the hardest. As a new personal injury lawyer, for example, you might find yourself working longer hours as opposed to your more experienced counterparts. If you work at a large firm, you may find that the building may have showers and locker rooms, as well as rooms where these law professionals may rest after intense researching sessions.
At smaller firms, you might be on a slightly more regular working schedule, though, you may still work up to 50 hours. You shouldn’t let these circumstances frighten you, however, as you need to make a great impression while at your firm if you plan to move up.
Your Day-to-Day Work
Though these daily tasks depend on your field of expertise, a regular day will likely include:
Research – Lawyers spend a lot of time researching as needed in order to get a firm understanding on each and every case. A personal injury lawyer might have a paralegal assisting them, however, the lawyer will be doing most of the reading and researching.
Studying – Studying isn’t going to be the same as researching; while research entails learning more about past cases that are related to a current one, studying includes preparing for hearings, reviewing the case file and case notes, and doing anything that will help you know a case inside and out.
Writing – You will write up documents, responses, briefs, letters, and emails.
Phone Calls – Whether you are in the office or not, you’ll be exchanging information on the phone with clients, court clerks, insurance companies, and other lawyers quite frequently.
Client Meetings – A lawyer at a small firm may have several meetings per week, whereas an experienced personal injury lawyer at a large firm might not meet with a client for months. Some lawyers, such as a personal injury lawyer, might meet with clients more often than other simply because of the kind of cases they cover.
Court Cases
Most people imagine lawyers and attorney’s standing in front of a judge and jury as they make their case, but that is not always the case. Depending on your line of work, you may find yourself in court hardly ever or quite frequently. For those who do make a lot of court cases, they can expect to wait at least an hour or two before the judge comes in to preside. On top of those two hours, these legal representatives can expect to spend upwards of eight hours in the courtroom once a trial is underway.
As you can see, the life of a personal injury lawyer isn’t as it seems on TV, however, the work that you do as a lawyer is important and rewarding. If you’re in need of legal representation, contact a personal injury attorney here at Robert J. DeBry and Associates ⎯ we’re ready to help build a solid claim.
