Lawyers, also called attorneys, make up the core of the justice system and are found everywhere there are policies–from simple rules like when it is legal to cross the street or buy a house to matters involving criminal charges and defense. In court, clients are represented by lawyers because lawyers are individuals who are well versed in the law and are obligated to use that knowledge to their client’s benefit in a case.

There are a variety of kinds of lawyers with different expertise in the legal system.

Lawyers can be self employed as a Partner in a firm or on contract with an institution, department, or governing body (such as the State). Lawyers can represent in civil or criminal cases. All lawyers are versed in advising their clients on legal process and all lawyers are capable of appearing in court on behalf of a client. However, not all lawyers appear often in court.

Lawyers tend to specialize in certain areas, such as bankruptcy, international law, intellectual property law, criminal law, or environmental law.

Becoming a lawyer is a highly competitive process. In addition to mastery of the subject matter, law school only accept a limited number of applicants and law firms only hire a limited number of new partners each year. The minimum requirements for a career in law is a four year undergraduate degree, three years of law school, and passing a written bar examination. However, requirements vary by State.