Lawyers specialize in different fields depending on their interests. The corporate lawyers are some of the most highly regarded and those who earn more than the others owing to the environment they’re working in. They’re referred to as an in-house counsel, staff attorney, deputy general counsel, chief legal office and general counsel.
Attorneys specializing in corporate law deal with the legal issues being faced by business organizations of all sizes. They focus on transactions such as acquisitions and negotiation of contracts and they don’t normally spend time in the courtroom. Specific areas they deal with are trademarks, tax law bankruptcy, employment, securities, real estate and international commercial law.
Corporate lawyers may work in a law firm or as a full-time in-house legal counsel of a company including banks, insurance companies, hospitals, retail stores, oil firms, energy and communication companies among others. Small corporations may have one lawyer while the larger companies may have several lawyers with different specializations.
Educational Background
To pursue a career as a corporate lawyer, one must first obtain an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree before attending law school. Any degree is fine but many take up a business degree in college.
The LSAT exam is also recommended after graduating from college as it can determine a student’s future performance in law school.
In the U.S., most companies want their corporate lawyers to have a degree from law schools accredited by the American Bar Association. They must also secure a license to be able to practice law in the state where they are working in.
Ongoing education is also pursued by some lawyers by attending training programs and further studies to improve their skills and knowledge.
Main Responsibilities
Skills highly important for a corporate lawyer to possess cover administrative, managerial, negotating, writing and interpersonal skills. These will greatly help in the performance of your tasks as you work in a fast-paced environment.
The primary responsibility of a lawyer working for a corporation is to ensure that business transactions comply with the law.
Research and consultation with the appropriate department is vital to properly advise the client of any negative effects a particular move might create.
Acting as a negotiator is another major duty of a corporate lawyer. The negotiating process is where skills and knowledge (commercial and transactional courses, accounting and financial statement analysis) gained in business school prove to be very useful.
Other specific responsibilities include preparing and filing government reports, drafting legal documents, guiding managers on regulatory and compliance issues, formulating employee handbook, analyzing legal issues related to proposed products, representing the company before court trials and administrative boards and reviewing new business relationships with subcontractors and vendors.
About the guest author:
Andrew Bowman is a professional blogger that provides information on the criminal and civil case process. She writes for Banks & Banks, Attorneys at Law, P.C., the top criminal defense and civil attorneys in College Station TX.