Most people, in my experience, go to law school with the expectation of one day—preferably sooner rather than later—getting a attorney position with a large firm, making a lot of money, and representing the interests of powerful corporations or government agencies. This is especially true for those who aim to be lawyers. After all, why not? We all want to win, and the sad but often true reality is that money and resources determine the results of disputes just as much (if not more) than fairness and justice. As a result, it’s not surprising that many aspiring litigators opt to work for giant, influential defense firms when deciding on a career path.
So, why would anyone want to be a plaintiff’s trial lawyer in the first place? Let me offer a few reasons why a new lawyer might consider being a plaintiff’s lawyer that goes beyond the romantic and well-worn—though true—ideas of “serving the people,” “protecting the community,” and “holding wrongdoers accountable.”
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You Don’t Have To Look For Work
Working for a plaintiff’s firm has many advantages, including the fact that you don’t need a job; all you need is a client. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will be offered a job when you graduate and pass the bar, especially in today’s unpredictable legal economy.
Instead of waiting for a job to come along, you can begin assisting plaintiffs in the pursuit of significant and small claims as soon as you have your license. Consider finding a more experienced attorney who can work on the case with you and help advance case costs in exchange for a share of the recovery. Significantly, if you have a large case that may be too difficult for your present expertise level or cannot afford to accept the case on a contingency fee basis.
However, if you happen to be working under a plaintiff’s firm, you can get funding for plaintiff lawyers as the Attorney funding provides financial assistance to law firms representing plaintiffs.
2. You Get To Meet Clients
You’ll receive face-to-face experience with clients at a plaintiff firm, whether you’re a paralegal, a graduate, or a junior lawyer. Working with people who have been injured or had something go wrong is at the heart of plaintiff law, and getting to know your clients and their stories is essential to assisting them.
This means you’ll spend much time on the phone, in meetings, and even at your clients’ homes. Because negligence doesn’t care about money or status, plaintiff clients come from all areas of life. A politician, a scientist, an engineer, a baker, a cashier, or a clairvoyant could be your client. You get to meet every single one of them. Working with actual people every day has a certain satisfaction to it, which helps you enjoy your time at work and get more happiness out of it.
3.There Are Some Fascinating Areas
While plaintiff firms are well-known for their work in general personal injury lawsuits, they also work in various other fields. Employment lawyers must be prepared to respond to union conflicts or lockout orders in a short amount of time, frequently by filing an emergency application with the Federal Court.
Lawyers for class action lawsuits work on cases that dwarf the Starship Enterprise. Cases involving general injuries include anything from car accidents to severe occupational injuries and everything in between. Furthermore, medical negligence teams mix medical and law to address complex causal and factual issues. If there’s one thing plaintiff law isn’t, it’s inefficient.
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Litigation Is A Real Thing That You Do
Plaintiff lawsuit is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a legal battle. Simply put, it’s about filing a lawsuit on behalf of a person who has been wronged. There will be no transactional work, no property settlements, or contract reviews. You’re in the middle of a legal battle (litigating). Every day, your goal is to assist your client in reaching a resolution, which is usually a settlement. You’ll take depositions, write claims, brief experts and barristers, and attend mediations, conferences, and court applications and trials. The effort of fighting a case and the joy of working with real clients to achieve a positive result create an engaging and fulfilling environment.
5. You Get To Help People
In terms of fulfillment, the finest thing about plaintiff law is that you get to help people. You meet your client after they have been hurt, a loved one has died, they have been discriminated against, etc.
By navigating the legal system, you can help them get back on their feet. Working in a plaintiff company brings all of your “rescue the world” inclinations back to the surface. It then rewards them by allowing you to experience the positive results you assist people to achieve.
Bottomline
Unfortunately, legal protections protecting consumers and people hurt by the misconduct of others are being attacked across the country. Plaintiff attorneys are crucial for preventing tort reform initiatives and ensuring everyone has access to competent legal representation.
However, it is not for everyone to pursue a career as a plaintiff’s lawyer; it requires guts, tenacity, ingenuity, and dedication. Perhaps unsurprisingly, excellent plaintiff and criminal defense attorneys have been lauded as the best models of our profession throughout history.
