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Lawyers

The Law, in your hands.

Also known as "attorneys at law", lawyers are the advocates and advisors of the legal world. But, not all lawyers are like the ones you see on Law & Order. Often working in an office setting, lawyers cover a variety of specialties where some rarely, if ever, see the inside of a courtroom. Some areas of legal specialization include environmental law, tax law, intellectual property law, family law, securities law, and litigation among others. Lawyers in the Gulf Coast region are most often found working for independent firms, local governmental bodies, or within large oil and gas corporations as in-house counsels. The job requires long hours and involves extensive reading, writing, and researching of legal topics to provide clients with the best possible representation. Lawyers at higher positions double as managers who oversee paralegals, assistants, and researchers who aid in retrieving and compiling the information their clients need.

Thanks to continued population and business growth in the region, the demand for lawyers is expected to remain strong, increasing 12 percent over the 10-year period.

12% Growth

Lawyers remain one of the highest paid professions with entry-level wages nearly double the median for all occupations in the region.

Entry $80,596 Median $135,080 Experienced $192,233

Everyone Wants To Have A Lawyer On Their Side

Top 5 Industries for Lawyers

Is this career right for you?*

These skills, interests, and knowledge areas are recommended for a career as a lawyer. The numbers below describe the relative important of each knowledge/skill area to the occupation.

100%

Law and Government

Knowing or being interested in the legal codes, court procedures, precedents, regulations, etc. needed for the area being practiced

90%

Communication Skills

Giving full attention to others and what they are saying while also conveying your own ideas clearly and concisely.

87.6%

Reading & Writing

Being dedicated to long hours of research, reading and comprehending documents as well as drafting and rewriting papers and arguments.

80%

Information Analysis

Arranging large amount of information into a cohesive pattern or order, and being able to find conclusions or answers to possible questions.

77.6%

Negotiation and Persuasion

Being able to persuade or convince someone to change their mind or reconcile in some way.

*Source: Texas Career Check

Pathway to Becoming a Lawyer

Endorsement: Business & Industry

Being a lawyer requires a 4-year bachelor's degree program followed by 3 years of law school to get a juris doctorate (J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) or one with a similar course structure.

To get into law school, individuals must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) to determine their eligibility as applicants. The LSAT is an hour and fifty-five minute long test that measures reading, writing, and logical reasoning.

While in law school, or even before, it is helpful to study more about the various sectors of the legal field and think about which one you intend to pursue.

After law school, prospective lawyers must take a series of licensing examinations, called the "bar," as determined by the Texas State Bar Association before they are allowed to legally practice law.

Useful Tech for a Head Start

Document Management Software: Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS)
Database query interfaces: LexisNexis Case Map or FindLaw
Presentation Software: IDEA TrialPro, Verdict Systems Sanction, Visionary Legal Technologies Visionary Professional
Data Mining Software: Google Analytics
Microsoft Office Suite: Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel

Law Programs in the Gulf Coast Region

Universities:

Major Employers in the Region

If you have questions about our Industry/Occupation Profiles or are an organization in the Gulf Coast Region, please contact webmaster@wrksolutions.com.

*Includes the following counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller, and Wharton.

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