About the Job

NOC: 4111,4112
Occupation: Judges and Lawyers
Category: Occupations in Social Science, Education, Government Service, and Religion

Nature Of Work:

Lawyers act both as advocates and as advisors in society. As advocates, they represent one of the opposing parties in criminal and civil trials by presenting evidence that supports their clients in court. As advisors, they advise clients on legal matters; counsel their clients as to their legal rights and obligations; and suggest particular courses of action in business and personal matters. In general, lawyers plead cases or conduct prosecutions in courts of law; negotiate contracts with other parties on behalf of their clients; and draw up legal documents such as contracts and wills. Lawyers may specialize in specific areas of law such as criminal law, corporate law, commercial law, real estate law, family and estate law, and labour law.

Judges preside in a courtroom and must be very familiar with all aspects of the law because they apply the law. They oversee the legal process that, in courts of law, resolves civil disputes and determines guilt in criminal cases according to federal and provincial laws and those of local jurisdictions. They preside over cases related to virtually every aspect of society, from traffic offences to questions of disconnecting life support equipment for terminally ill persons. They must ensure that trials and hearings are conducted fairly and in a manner that safeguards the legal rights of all parties involved. They listen to the evidence presented by both sides; read and study any information submitted to them before, during, and after the Court hearing; sometimes conduct their own independent research to be satisfied with the interpretation of the applicable law relating to that subject matter; and then give a decision which is consistent with previous decisions of the Courts of Nova Scotia or the Supreme Court of Canada.

Skills:

To work in this field you should enjoy challenge and competition. Office-style work requires a high degree of accuracy and concentration. Excellent oral communication skills are important for courtroom-style work. You must be convincing, concise, able to think quickly under pressure, and able to express your ideas clearly. You should have a strong command of language and the ability to think logically and analytically. Patience, tact, and an understanding of human nature would be helpful in dealing with the public.

Other Considerations:

Self-employment is common for lawyers. Many lawyers work fairly regular hours, but this is usually confined to lawyers who are employed by government offices or corporations. Lawyers in private practice, for the most part, work longer and fairly irregular hours. Most of the work of lawyers is done in offices or law libraries. Judges tend to work fairly regular business hours.