Corporations from various industries commonly hire in-house legal counsel to manage all legal matters within their organization. In-house lawyers provide advice and services related to regulatory issues, contracts, employment, policies, and taxes. In-house attorneys of any specialization often work on contract or part-time. For this reason, they have the flexibility to work remotely.
What Is A Lawyer?
The American Bar Association defines a lawyer as a licensed professional who advises and represents another party in legal matters. A lawyer may also be called an attorney, legal counsel, or counselor.
According to statistics, there are more than 1.3 million lawyers in the United States. From that, nearly one-third of all lawyers are under thirty-five years old.
One-fourth of all the lawyers in America are in just two states. The American Bar Association released demographicsindicating that 27% of the nation’s lawyers are from New York and California. Meanwhile, North Dakota has the fewest lawyers–1,685.
Do you know which district in the United States has the most lawyers per capita? The District of Columbia has just under 700,000 residents but it has one lawyer living in the district for every 40 residents, according to a report published just last year.
Fun Fact
In 1648, America gained its first female lawyer: Margaret Brent of Maryland. Moreover, the first female president of the American Bar Association was Roberta Cooper Ramo of New Mexico in 1995.
Duties and Jobs Of An Attorney
A person aspiring to become a legal counsel should graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or a Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) degree.
Lawyers may have different titles depending on where they work. Despite differences in titles, law school graduates are all similarly responsible for the following tasks, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Advise clients in criminal or civil proceedings and in other legal matters
- Communicate with clients, colleagues, judges, and others involved in a case
- Assist clients with selecting the right legal representation
- Conduct legal research and analysis of legal issues
- Interpret laws, rulings, and regulations for individuals and businesses
- Present facts and findings relevant to a case on behalf of their clients
- Prepare and file legal documents, such as lawsuits, contracts, and wills while exercising strong written communication skills
- Aid with managing any conflict resolution process related to a new business intake
- Serve as an expert legal advisor to an individual or a corporation
- Provide risk mitigation analysis
- If working in a team, practice collaboration by supporting attorneys and staff within the practice groups department
- Acquire medical documents and evidence if the client obtained bodily injury
Popular Law Degrees And Specializations
The Princeton Review published an online article enumerating the most popular job type of law. The following specializations are included in the list.
Admiralty Law
According to the Legal Information Institute, admiralty law, also known as maritime law, is the body of law that governs navigation and shipping. Topics associated with this field in legal reference works may include shipping, navigation, waters, commerce, seamen, towage, wharves, piers and docks, insurance, maritime liens, canals, and recreation. Furthermore, piracy and ship hijacking are also an aspect of admiralty.
Remote attorney jobs in the maritime sector commonly include associate attorney positions.
Business Law
Business law is the body of laws that govern how business organizations and business entities are established, run, and managed, as defined by American Public University.
Ideally, all commercial matters, taxes, business decisions, business transactions, business debts, employee rights, state laws, contract drafting, regulatory compliance, limited liability, mercantile law, and any other legal requirements should be overseen by a qualified business lawyer.
Small-business law and corporate law are both under this specialization.
Constitutional Law
According to the Princeton Review, constitutional law is considered one of the most broad and involved branches of law. It requires a deep understanding of the U.S. Constitution in order to understand its every possible interpretation and implementation on local and national levels.
As the Constitution is the source of legal authority for the United States, questions of constitutional law often relate to fundamental questions of sovereignty and democracy.
The Supreme Court has the authority to conclusively decide questions of constitutional law through its power of judicial review. Judicial review allows courts to declare actions of governmental bodies unconstitutional and, therefore, prevent the actions from being enforced and encouraged. Consequently, the study of constitutional law focuses heavily on Supreme Court rulings, as mentioned by the Legal Information Institute.
Criminal Law
Criminal law is the body of law defining offenses against the community at large, regulating how suspects are investigated, charged, and tried, and establishing punishments for convicted offenders. According to Thomson Reuters, the fundamental goal of a litigation attorney is public safety. An attorney practicing this specialization aims to deter destructive or hazardous behaviors and establishes the standards of behavior expected of citizens and the punishments for failing to meet those norms.
Environmental Law
The American Public University defined environmental law as a collective term encompassing aspects of law that focus on protecting the natural environment, human health, and natural resources. It is a complex web of regulations, policies, and statutes designed to address issues such as air and water quality, waste management, and pollution control.
A licensed attorney practicing environmental law can work closely with government agencies, and community development organizations including the Environmental Protection Agency.
Family Law
Family law deals with family-related issues and domestic relations. The University of Baltimore School of Law published a document indicating most family law practices focus on representing clients in a divorce and the issues related to divorce such as the division of marital property, child custody and support, and alimony.
First Amendment Law
According to the White House, the First Amendment states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise. It protects freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
In line, First Amendment law focuses on protecting citizens’ rights to freedom of speech, religion, press, and assembly against the law enacted by Congress.
Health Care Law
Health law is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on the regulations and policies governing the healthcare industry and healthcare itself in government settings as well as the private sector, per American Public University. It is essential for ensuring the quality and safety of medical care while protecting the rights and interests of all parties involved in the healthcare system.
Experts said this area of law affects legal issues related to medical providers, health insurers, patients, and government agencies, and it addresses a wide range of issues including medical malpractice, Medicare, Medicaid, the HIPAA Privacy Rule, and even estate planning documents.
Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; symbols, names, and images used in commerce.
In accordance, intellectual property law deals with decrees to protect and enforce the rights of the creators and owners of inventions, writing, music, designs, and other works, known as “intellectual property.” There are several areas of intellectual property including copyright, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets, according to Georgetown Law.
Fun Fact
University of Bologna in Europe was the first law school in the world.
Can Attorneys Practice Law From Home?
Are Remote Lawyer Jobs Real?
Remote jobs for attorneys significantly increased when COVID-19 happened. During the height of the pandemic, several industries including the legal sector shifted their employees to a remote work setup. The technology provided telework options and video conferencing solutions.
Now that workplace flexibilities have been explored, multiple law firms are delighted by the benefits and have maintained the work-from-home arrangement.
At present, attorneys have the option to practice law in the comfort of their homes while maintaining a competitive salary and even bonus potential. The job market is loaded with opportunities from law firms and private businesses seeking to hire experienced lawyers who have the ability to work remotely.
According to an article published online by Reuters, the American Bar Association released a survey revealing that 44% of lawyers who have practiced for 10 years or less would leave their job for another one that provides a greater opportunity to work remotely. The findings have implications for how law firms, companies, government agencies, and other employers craft return-to-office requirements and how they can attract and retain lawyers, per news report.
Lawyers also largely reported that remote and hybrid work arrangements since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic did not negatively affect their work quality, productivity, or billable hours worked. For example, 90% of respondents overall said there was either no impact or an increase in the quality of their work.
According to Indeed, remote attorney jobs include but are not limited to telecommuting lawyer, legal writer, conflicts attorney, general attorney, and in-house counsel. Corporations now commonly hire in-house lawyers with civil litigation experience to manage all legal matters within their organization to provide advice and services related to regulatory issues, contracts, employment, policies, taxes, and insurance defense. A corporate attorney of any specialization often works on contract or part-time. For this reason, they have the freedom to work remotely and practice flexible work scheduling.
Individuals aspiring to land remote attorney jobs should possess strong writing skills, and excellent oral communication skills because they will get in touch with clients and employers through phone or video calls.
How To Hire A Remote Attorney
Is your company or law firm looking for an actively licensed lawyer who can perform the responsibilities of a legal counsel? Contact Remote Raven now and they will connect you with a qualified attorney with experience and training aligned with the needs of your company.
Schedule an appointment with Remote Raven
The workforce solutions company is capable of helping you with the whole remote hiring process–drafting a job description, selecting eligible applicants, interviewing potential candidates, and eventually onboarding an exceptionallawyer who can work independently.
