Government Lawyer. After finishing law school, a lawyer can decide whether they want to work for a private firm or a government department. Government lawyers can fulfill a large variety of duties depending on their location, level of government, and specialty.
Government Lawyer
Understanding what type of work a government lawyer can perform and how to find a position may improve your chances of finding a job that fits your career goals and qualifications.
Who is a Government Lawyer?
A government lawyer is a professional who works for the government. He or she provides legal advice to government ministers and administrative staff, and he or she is a skilled or qualified solicitor and barrister.
A government lawyer is responsible for handling various tasks such as policy issues, advising local authorities, drafting regulations, persecuting criminal activities, and writing legal reviews.
A government lawyer represents the government in court and advises government members on various legal issues and research. He or she enforces local and city ordinances and assists several government agencies.
Types of Government Lawyers
There are a wide variety of government lawyer career options. In this section, we have discussed some of the types of government lawyers or careers related to them.
. Civil Lawyer
A Civil Lawyer is a professional who practices law and is responsible for managing property, business, and other litigation cases. There are four types of civil law, which include personal disputes, contract law, torts, and family law. A career as a civil lawyer is responsible for acquiring information, decision-making, compliance, resolving complaints, and interpreting legal terms.
. Family Lawyer
A family lawyer is a professional who is responsible for dealing with the issues that arise between family members. He or she is responsible for handling cases such as divorce, adoption, guardianship, legal advice, mediation sessions, emancipation, and estates. The role of a family lawyer is to resolve complaints, provide legal advice, and conduct research and draft.
. Corporate Lawyer
A career as a corporate lawyer is required to supervise the legal decisions regarding the management and business of any corporation. He or she is responsible for administration work within the firm.
The role of a corporate lawyer includes planning and designing the goals of the organization and doing extensive research. He or she needs to provide legal advice or counsel to his or her clients.
. Criminal Lawyer
A career as a criminal lawyer is responsible for dealing with various aspects such as domestic abuse, sexual assaults, property crimes, drug charges, driving without a license, fraud, money laundering, and corruption. He or she is required to deal with the investigation, collect evidence, and conduct bail bond hearings, plea bargains, trials, dismissal hearings, appeals, and post-conviction procedures.
Role of Government Lawyer
Some of the roles of a government lawyer include:
. Representing Government
The role of a government lawyer is to represent the government in court and advise government officials on behalf of government ministers and administrative staff. He or she enforces local and city ordinances and assists several government agencies, such as the EPA or IRS.
. Wrongful Death
When a citizen in a particular jurisdiction dies in a situation that may include government involvement, the victim’s family can bring that department to court for wrongful death.
This can include public transportation accidents, accidental deaths from a government-approved item, or accidents resulting from a department not using proper health or safety regulations.
When this happens, a government lawyer may represent the department to gather evidence or negotiate with the persecutors.
. Research
One of the roles of a government lawyer requires research on various aspects such as court records, laws, cases, and others for their reference that can be used for the arguments in the court cases.
He or she also provides advice to policymakers and government officials and keeps them updated about the new laws and amendments that require doing research most of the time.
. Creating New Laws
The role of government lawyers is to help in creating new laws regarding jurisdiction, city, country, or state. He or she helps or advises the policymakers on drafting the laws and also reviews or modifies the existing laws if needed.
. Public Defense
Public defenders are lawyers employed by the government to defend someone who can’t afford or doesn’t want a private lawyer. They can function as lawyers for multiple different types of defenses, including criminal cases. Some public defenders may also represent the government when they’re the defendant in a suit, such as in a class action suit or civil complaint.
. Eminent Domain
Eminent domain is a process by which the government in an area can obtain land by declaring that it serves a public purpose. For example, if a city requires some land to build a new public transportation rail system, they may claim an area using the declaration of eminent domain.
When this happens, government lawyers can draft the declaration, contact the owners of the land, and negotiate the transfer of ownership.
What Legal Issues Do Government Lawyers Address?
Government lawyers address a wide range of legal issues, including:
. Tribal Laws
Government lawyers working in this area provide legal counsel and representation to federal or state agencies that interact with Native American tribes. They help negotiate treaties, resolve disputes, and ensure that government actions are consistent with tribal sovereignty and federal law.
. Government Agencies
Government lawyers may be employed by various agencies to provide legal counsel, ensure compliance with laws and regulations, and represent the agency in legal disputes.
. Land Use and Zoning Ordinances
Government lawyers help draft and enforce regulations related to land development, building codes, and zoning. They may represent government agencies in disputes over land use, ensuring that developments comply with the relevant laws and preserving the public interest.
. Tax And Tax Evasion Issues
Government lawyers specializing in tax law work with agencies responsible for collecting taxes, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). They help draft tax regulations, provide legal advice on tax-related matters, and prosecute individuals or entities involved in tax evasion or fraud.
. Right To Bear Arms
Government lawyers may work on issues related to the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. They could be involved in drafting and enforcing gun control regulations, providing legal counsel on firearm-related matters, and representing the government in disputes involving gun rights.
. Educational Laws
These lawyers work with agencies responsible for overseeing and regulating education, such as the Department of Education. They may draft policies and regulations, provide legal advice on issues like student rights and special education, and represent the government in disputes with educational institutions.
. Free Speech
Government lawyers may be involved in drafting and enforcing regulations related to free speech and the First Amendment. They might represent the government in cases involving challenges to speech restrictions, defending the government’s actions as consistent with constitutional requirements.
FAQs
. How Can a Government Lawyer Help Me?
A good government lawyer can help you with a range of legal issues. If you are involved in a criminal matter and can’t afford to hire a private attorney, the state will hire a public defender for you. The public defender will work to ensure you get a fair trial and that all your rights are protected.
A government attorney may also help you in civil matters, including civil rights and discrimination issues.
. What is the Difference Between a Government Lawyer and a Private Lawyer?
Although both government and private lawyers must pass through the same education, there are some major differences between them. Government lawyers mainly work to uphold the interests of citizens or the government institution they work at. Private lawyers, on the other hand, represent and work for corporations and individuals.
