Lawyers and Quebec notaries
High opportunity occupation
Career Overview
Lawyers advise clients on legal matters in negotiations and mediations. They also draft legal documents and represent clients before courts of law, tribunals and administrative bodies.
Job Titles
Duties
In general, lawyers:
- Offer legal advice to clients
- Research legal precedents and gather evidence
- Argue clients' cases
- Negotiate business transactions and civil dispute settlements
- Draft legal documents such as wills, contracts, real estate and divorce papers
- Prepare statements of legal opinions
- Do managerial tasks
Lawyers can also act as mediators, conciliators or arbitrators. In estate matters, they act as executors or trustees.
Lawyers can specialize in areas such as:
- Administrative law
- Commercial law
- Contract law
- Corporate law
- Criminal law
- Family law
- Indigenous law
- Intellectual property law
- International law
- Labour law
- Real estate law
- Taxation law
- Will and estate law
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
13,930% Employed Full Time
74%Lawyers usually work in offices and courthouses. They may travel to meet clients, attend meetings, conduct research and gather evidence.
In law firms, the hours are often very long. The work can be stressful, particularly when facing deadlines or preparing for court. Lawyers working in government or businesses may have more regular schedules.
Career Pathways
Lawyers can work as in-house counsel for businesses. With additional training and experience, they may become general counsel or vice-president of the company.
Lawyers can also work for government. They can advise and represent the government and prosecute criminal and regulatory cases.
Lawyers with additional training may expand their practices to include mediation or legal coaching services.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Lawyers in B.C. must have three to four years of undergraduate studies and a Juris Doctor or bachelor’s degree from a recognized law school. They must also complete the bar courses, provincial law society exams, and carry out a period of articling. To practise in B.C., lawyers must be members of the Law Society of British Columbia.
Lawyers who train outside of B.C. do not need significant additional training, experience, testing or assessment if their qualifications or certificates are recognized by a Canadian regulatory authority. However, those who train outside of Canada must apply through the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.
Lawyers who are certified for that occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.
For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.
Contact the Law Society of British Columbia for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Law
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Convincing others to change their mind or behaviour.
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
13,930Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 185 | 1.3% |
| Kootenay | 140 | 1.0% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 10,405 | 74.7% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 75 | 0.5% |
| Northeast | 55 | 0.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 955 | 6.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 2,125 | 15.2% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
6,010Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 20 | -1.3% |
| Kootenay | 30 | 1.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 4,830 | 1.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | -7.0% |
| Northeast | 0 | -1.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 380 | 1.6% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 760 | 1.0% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 5,080 |
| Public Administration | 440 |
| Finance, Insurance and Real Estate | 130 |
| Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services | 100 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 30 |
Insights from Industry
New lawyers with high grades and related experience have better job prospects. Those willing to relocate to urban areas outside of the Lower Mainland will also find more opportunities.
Certain areas of law have higher demand. These include family, international, environmental, internet, entertainment, immigration and construction law. Openings are also available in Aboriginal rights, mediation, and intellectual property, patents and trademarks.
Downturns in the economy can mean less demand for optional legal services such as estate planning and real estate transactions.
Resources
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B.C. Ministry of Attorney Generalwww.gov.bc.ca/justice
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BC Human Rights Tribunalwww.bchrt.bc.ca
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Federation of Law Societies of Canadaflsc.ca
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The Canadian Bar Association – British Columbia Branch (CBABC)www.cbabc.org
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The Canadian Bar Association (CBA)www.cba.org
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The Courts of British Columbiawww.bccourts.ca
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The Law Society of British Columbiawww.lawsociety.bc.ca
Career Videos
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a lawyer is like.
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a lawyer is like.
