Do Lawyers make good Money? FAQ
Considering the number of persons called to Bar on yearly basis as Lawyers, one might be forced to ask: Do Lawyers make good money? Or what exactly attract people to legal profession? Is it passion or the need to enjoy the prestige and money that emanates from the profession?.
Are lawyers all rich people? Do lawyers retire? Do lawyers get paid by government? And so on.
There are many questions that surrounds legal profession, that we hope to clear your doubt.
Below are some of the things you should know about Lawyers and legal Profession.
Do Lawyers make Good Money?
Lawyers make good money. Most of their money comes from:
Salaried employment: A lawyer can be employed in public institutions, private organizations, international organizations and all these places come with good salaries. A lawyer can also be employed in top companies and corporation as legal advicer or Secretary.
Practice: Only a Lawyer is allowed to appear in court as advocate for himself and on behalf of another person. In doing so, he is allowed to charge for his professional services. A lawyer may also charge appearance fee and consultation fee.
Drafting of Instruments: Drafting of Agreements, Wills, court processes, constitute major works of a lawyer. In drafting instruments, a Lawyer charge alot of money. The amount of money a Lawyer can make cannot be quantified. Except for Lawyers in Salaried employment, a lawyers money comes on daily basis from rendering services to clients.
Are all Lawyers Rich?
As noted by elawtalk, not all lawyers are rich. There are many factors that ultimately determine how poor or rich a lawyer might be: level of experience, education, type of legal service rendered, and if the lawyer is self-employed, part of a law firm, or in salaried employment.
Still, most lawyers make decent money, sufficient enough to take care of their daily expenses.
Do lawyers Lie?
Lawyers are human being. They lie too. It will be fallacious for anyone to say that Lawyers don’t lie. Whether in their personal dealings with others in the society or in the course of representation of their clients.
However, not all lawyers tell lies. There are good and upright lawyers who don’t lie and who dislike lies. Lawyers in this category are highly disciplined set of persons. Just pray you encounter a good lawyer, and not those who make you feel that Lawyers are liars.
What Happens When a Lawyer lies to a Judge?
It is unprofessional for a lawyer to lie to his client, not to talk of a judge. Telling lies downgrade a lawyer and cast serious aspersion on the person and integrity of a lawyer.This is why a lawyer must not lie regardless of the circumstances.
When a Lawyer lies before a judge, what the judge may do, depends on Whether the Lawyer lied under Oath. Lying under oath, amount to perjury and judge might convict a lawyer for perjury.
Do Lawyers get Paid by Government?
Lawyers don’t get paid by government except those in Salaried employment. Those in salaried employement are those employed in different government agencies like ministry of justice, police force, Customs office, immigration office etc.
Lawyers in this places are paid by government. But lawyers in private practice are not paid by government except when they are contracted by government. When they represent government, they can charge government for their legal services.
Do lawyers know that their clients are guilty?
Yes. Lawyers know that their clients are guilty. Sometime, a lawyer may not know. But in most cases, lawyers know. A client must be honest with his lawyer if he is to succeed in court. To this effect, the client will disclose every details to his lawyer to enable the lawyer prepare his defence very well.
A lawyer, though know that his client lied or committed the crime alleged, is under duty to defend anyone that seek his service. Beside, the law presumes everyone innocent until proven guilty, a lawyers job is to defend others. This duty include those who may be guilty of an offence.
Do lawyers retire?
A lawyer in private practice does not retire. He only retire the day he is confirmed dead or the day he becomes incapacitated to continue his legal duty.
However, lawyers in salaried employment -judges, magistrate, lecturers and legal Officers are deemed to be civil servants and like others in public service, retire at 60-65 years.
Do Lawyers Have Lawyers?
In court, although, a lawyer can represent himself and others in court, a lawyer is at liberty to have his own lawyer if he is sued in court. He can also represent himself.
Outside court, a lawyer can also have his own lawyer. He can employ other lawyers to work for him, he can also instruct them to caretaker his properties if there are too many. He can as well employ other lawyers as Secretary and legal advicer in his business empires.
Do Lawyers work on Weekends?
Giving an answer to this question depends on what you define to be work. A client may be arrested by police on weekend, that may warrant a lawyer to go to police station to secure his bail.
As regards going to court, lawyers don’t go to court on weekends. But a lawyer can go to chambers to do some other works like drafting of processes on weekends.
In summary, Some lawyers work on weekend, some lawyers don’t work on weekend.