"As a child I thought I wanted to be an author, or a forensic scientist, or maybe even a high school drama teacher! By the time I was ready for college, I was completely lost. I had many interests, but no clear path or direction. Ultimately, I decided to get an engineering degree because it covered so many of my strengths – writing, math, deduction, and problem-solving. While in college I realized that law was the subject that tied everything together and was the most fascinating to me.

As a patent lawyer, I can look back now and see how all of my interests, which seemed so different at the time, were integral to my success in this job. There are so many different types of law, both in and out of the courtroom, that just about any subject can be extended and applied to a field or specialty. There's no question that it's hard work and requires dedication, but it provides many career options, and I cannot think of a job that I would like more."

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Job Description

SOC Code: 23-1011

Lawyers represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. May specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.*

*Source: This information is based on O*NET™ data. O*NET is a trademark registered to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.

Top Job Skills:

• Perform legal research
• Prepare pleadings
• Contract Management
• Provide legal advice
• Customer service

General Work Activities:

• Mental Processes
  • Identify implications for cases from legal precedents or other legal information
  • Draft legislation or regulations
• Interacting With Others
  • Provide legal advice to clients
  • Represent the interests of clients in legal proceedings
  • Meet with individuals involved in legal processes to provide information and clarify issues
  • Arbitrate disputes between parties to resolve legal conflicts
  • Supervise activities of other legal personnel
• Information Input
  • Research relevant legal materials to aid decision making
  • Evaluate information related to legal matters in public or personal records
• Work Output
  • Prepare legal documents
  • Prepare documentation of legal proceedings

Source: SC Works Online Services (SCWOS)

Job Statistics

Examples of Workforce Areas with Job Openings

 

• Midlands
• Greenville
• Trident
• Catawba
• Upstate
• Waccamaw

 

Source: SC Works Online Services. Ask an SC Works representative for more information about postings in your area

Examples of Employers with Job Openings

• SC Department of Public Safety
• Collins Family & Elder Law Group
• Attorney General's Office
• Cordell & Cordell
• Winthrop University
• Lexington County, SC

 

 

Source: SC Works Online Services. Ask an SC Works representative for more information about postings in your area

Related Occupations

• Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
• Judicial Law Clerks
• Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
• Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

 

 

NOTE: All data based on state averages. Information may vary depending on region, experience, and specific employment situation. Last Updated: 2024

Learn More With SCWOS

SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) is the state’s largest job database and provides all of South Carolina's job postings from all major sites, including Monster and Career Builder, in one resource. SCWOS has thousands of positions listed by employers all over the state. To access SCWOS, visit jobs.scworks.org.

Find in-depth breakdowns of occupational statistics such as necessary job certifications, job skills and abilities, current job openings, overview of general work activities, and more by visiting O*NET.org.