After graduating and passing the bar, lawyers who take the path of professional legal practice have to decide on the nature of their practice. Some immediately go for private practice and apply for positions in top law firms, while some may prefer to go into public practice and serve the government. Read on to find out the similarities and differences between public and private practice.
Private practice
One main reason why lawyers go for private practice in law firms is the financial rewards. Private lawyers can earn thousands of dollars in handling just one case. But aside from firms, lawyers can also go into private practice by serving as legal counsels to corporate clients. Some big-time companies hire their own in-house lawyers whose main responsibility is to handle whatever legal issues the company may face in labor practice and laws. Lawyers who want to maximize financial gain from their law school education would do well to go into private practice because it’s more financially rewarding than public legal practice.
Public practice
Lawyers who go into public practice are those employed the state or government to provide legal counsel and services to groups and individuals who do not have access to private lawyers. Pubic attorneys, or public defenders, hold noble jobs in that they ensure that the citizens’ right to be legally represented in courts is not violated. Cases of criminal nature are the ones often handled by public defenders, although handling labor and property cases is also commonplace.
The salaries of public defenders pale in comparison to those of private lawyers. Often, lawyers have to provide legal services pro bono because they represent people who cannot afford to get their own lawyers. The state shoulders the wages of public attorneys, which is not that impressive but is made up for by the numerous benefits and civil protection that they get.
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