Are you trying to determine the best path for you in your legal career? There are plenty of avenues, whether you’re an attorney, a paralegal, a secretary, or a support professional. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re looking for some basics to help kick start some research and give you a chance to determine the best path for you, here is a short guide to litigation careers.
What is Civil Litigation?
There are two general aspects of the American legal system. They are criminal law and civil law. For law students and lawyers, these two concepts are the basis of your entire education. But you don’t have to be a lawyer to have a career in civil litigation. It means any legal process where criminal charges and penalties are not an issue.
What Does a Litigation Attorney Do?
Also called trial lawyers, litigation attorneys represent either defendants or plaintiffs in civil lawsuits. They will handle all of the legal aspects of the experience from pre-trial research, discovery, pleadings, the trial itself, settlements, and any necessary appeals.
What Does a Litigation Paralegal Do?
A paralegal who specializes in civil litigation will assist the attorney or legal team with research, process and filing paperwork, and support during and after the trial. To become a paralegal, you need to complete a paralegal program and gain the proper credentials. From there, a career in litigation is just one of many career avenues.
What Does a Litigation Secretary Do?
Within a litigation attorney’s office, a legal secretary will be responsible for all administrative aspects of running the business. They may handle client communication, file documents, and process timekeeping records and billing. To become a legal secretary and work in litigation, you will need an associate’s degree and certification in some areas.
What Does a Litigation Support Professional Do?
A slightly more technical role, a litigation support professional is part of a legal team handling large-scale litigation. This role is responsible for designing and maintaining databases to manage, sort, and index important information for the case. Because of the massive scale of large litigation trials, a support professional needs to be able to index and access information efficiently.
Other Litigation Career Opportunities
There are a few other litigation career opportunities you may want to take a closer look at in the future. They include:
- Trial technology consultant: a professional who develops multi-media presentations for attorneys
- Litigation support director: in essence, a project manager for the entire litigation team
- Jury consultant: to assist in the jury selection process
Is a career in litigation right for you?
Contact NRI Legal Staffing and speak to a recruiter about our various opportunities in litigation across the D.C. metro area.
