Description
Represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.
- • Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
- • Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses.
- • Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents.
- • Present and summarize cases to judges and juries.
- • Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.
- • Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case.
- • Represent clients in court or before government agencies.
- • Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
- • Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges, and question witnesses during the course of a trial.
- • Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation.
- • Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases.
- • Prepare legal briefs and opinions, and file appeals in state and federal courts of appeal.
- • Negotiate settlements of civil disputes.
- • Confer with colleagues with specialties in appropriate areas of legal issue to establish and verify bases for legal proceedings.
- • Search for and examine public and other legal records to write opinions or establish ownership.
- • Supervise legal assistants.
- • Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law.
- • Act as agent, trustee, guardian, or executor for businesses or individuals.
- • Probate wills and represent and advise executors and administrators of estates.
- • Help develop federal and state programs, draft and interpret laws and legislation, and establish enforcement procedures.
- • Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts.
- • Negotiate contractual agreements.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
