Government Lawyer
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A government lawyer is simply any lawyer that works directly for the government. There are many different types of government lawyers, belonging to different government agencies, and each of their responsibilities vary. However, regardless which agencies the government lawyer works for, the goal is to correctly implement and enforce the laws.
What types of Government Lawyers are there? And what do they each do?
Below are some common types of government lawyers:
- Local Level Government Attorneys – advise city officials on legal matters, enforce ordinances, or prosecute criminals. They also help create laws that benefit local businesses or the community as a whole.
- State government attorneys – act as public advocates, enforce state laws, and advise state legislators. Additionally, some work as public defenders to represent the state in criminal cases, as well.
- Federal government attorneys – help draft regulations or provide assistance to various agencies. Additionally, they prepare opinions in criminal and civil matters pending before a federal court, and are responsible for writing legal reviews of agency decisions. 1https://legaldictionary.net/government-lawyer/
What skills are necessary to be a successful government lawyer?
- Communicate well with government high-ranking officials, court and government employees, and citizens.
- Willing to work hard and sometimes long hours
- Time management skills
- Strong understanding of civil and criminal law.
- If they work at an international level, they will also need to know foreign policy and international law. 2https://www.lawyeredu.org/government-lawyer.html?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiMn-3V86PrAhUFmXIEHcxNDJAQ9QF6BAgLEAI
- Writing Skills
- Personable
- Persuasive
- Organized
- Law School Degree
- Research Skills
- Negotiation Skills
- Attention to detail
What are some challenges of being a government lawyer?
- Can work long hours
- A lot of paper work
- Less compensation than private practice and some other lawyer options
- Need to be a law school graduate (costs a lot of time and money)
- Can be difficult to navigate the political/government world
- Sometimes in the public eye, so subject to more scrutiny
What are some benefits of being a government lawyer?
- Get to make impacts in your community
- Learn valuable skills
- Work with many intelligent individuals
- Build strong relationships with coworkers, clients, government officials/agencies
- Good reputation
- Solve interesting problems
- Most cases are different, which is exciting
Typical Salary?
This figure varies a lot depending where you work and the type of government lawyer you are (for example, a lawyer for a small local community likely will not make as much as a lawyer for a large city). According to ZipRecruiter, the average government lawyer salary, across all disciplines is ~$80k.
Should I become a government lawyer?
If you are interested in the law and more specifically working in either local, state or federal government, you should consider a career as a government lawyer. It offers a great way to learn a lot, make a difference in a community/region, and work on very interesting projects. Additionally, it is a good way to get exposed to government and politics.
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