Associate attorney jobs in the US are divided into civil and criminal law, with further specializations within each category. Law firms use the term “lawyer” instead of “legal professional,” and associate attorneys can eventually become partners or owners after gaining experience. Civil law encompasses various legal specialties, with transactional and litigation sides.
Associate attorney jobs are distinguishable whether the position practices civil or criminal law. These two types of associate positions can be further differentiated by the nature of the work performed in each category. Associate attorneys working in criminal law may specialize in trial or appellate cases at the state or federal jurisdictional level. Civil law associates may be employed for trial or transactional work, at the state or federal level and in various areas of civil law.
In the US, unlike other jurisdictions with similar legal systems such as the UK, legal professionals are called lawyers. Law firms name their attorney positions after a convention that distinguishes property control attorneys from affiliated attorneys employed by the firm. Property control attorneys are licensed associates and can be hired at the entry level straight out of law school or at the intermediate level as a side hire with another firm. Associate attorneys may be considered for a partner or owner role in the firm after working for a certain number of years.
Associate attorney positions are specialized with a focus on criminal or civil law, which is in line with the way law firms are set up in the US. Once associate attorney jobs are classified as either civil or criminal, positions can be further defined by the type of work the associate is assigned to. Firms that practice criminal law tend to specialize in trial or appellate work in state or federal courts. Associates are hired for positions that require skills and qualifications appropriate for those categories. For example, an associate attorney job might be advertised by a criminal law firm looking for an attorney who is licensed to practice in federal court and specializes in appellate cases.
In civil law, associate attorney jobs can be differentiated by the type of law practiced and the nature of the job. Civil law comprises several legal specialties, such as corporate or real estate law. Domestic relations laws, tort laws, and many other areas are also practiced. Associates are usually hired into a practice area or at least scheduled into one of several areas that can be narrowed down to a selection during the associate’s first year.
Most areas of civil practice also have a transactional side and a litigation side. Associate attorney jobs in civil law are classified as one or the other. If an associate is placed in the civil litigation department, he is likely to handle cases in various civil law specialties. Transactional associates rarely litigate cases. Instead, they handle negotiations, contracts, and other paperwork.
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