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How long is an average day of work for a lawyer?

I'm in middle school and taking a career class. I took a survey to see what career paths were recommended and law was one. I would like to understand how long an average day of work is for a lawyer. #career #lawyer

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Jenna’s Answer

Like everything in law: it depends! If you work for a company as in-house counsel, you will probably have more traditional working hours (8-5 during the week) and paid a salary. If you work for a law firm, you will be paid based on the number of hours you bill, so you'll work longer to bill more hours to get paid more. I work for myself, so some days I work a few hours, some days, I work a lot of hours, and I work on weekends or early in the morning or late at night to get the job done, but I can work when I want to. My compensation is tied to how much I work, not when I work, as long as I meet deadlines. I read in a survey once that the average lawyer works 50-60 hours per week, across all functions, so being a good lawyer is not for a lazy person, but you can still work as a lawyer and have a life as well. It's more important to get good grades in school to get into college to get into law school, then as you find your way in your legal career, you can find a job that suits the hours you are willing to work!
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Pablo’s Answer

Well to be honest, all depend of you.
In my case, maybe Im with my family on weekend and the sound of the phone start. Of course, is for me.
But you know, you can stop or really if you feel the laws on your blood, ok... just answer the call. Maybe can be something urgent or not, but just decide
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PRASANJIT’s Answer

It completly depend on you but majority of lawyers work full time, and many worked more than 40 hours per week. Lawyers who are in private practice and those who work in large firms often work additional hours, conducting research and preparing and reviewing documents.
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Michael’s Answer

Could be 26 hours. Busy lawyers may have 20 or 30 clients who need legal work in the same day.

You could start the day at midnight, be working through until 7 AM writing briefs, examining evidence, reading depositions, taking notes. Then off to drive to court, be there by 7:30. Meet with a dozen clients, and be ready for the first trial at 9 AM. Court runs until noon, and while the judge is at lunch- you have more clients to meet before 1 o’clock trials.

Court ends at 5, and you run back to the office to enter your notes into the database and file paperwork, meet with your paralegal and review your schedule for the next week. Continue to write an appeal brief that’s due in the morning until 2 am, and head home for a 5 hour nap before the next day in court.

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