Becoming a lawyer is more than just keeping up with the times. It means respecting and honoring your field’s history.
The United States is ever in need of lawyers that are passionate about their work and eager to leave an impact wherever they go. California, in particular, is seeing some of the biggest political changes of any state in the country. From banning certain practices to being the first to introduce new laws, becoming part of California legal research is a massive undertaking. Understanding your federal statutes, being attuned to your state’s legislative history and keeping a keen eye toward the future are all required traits to becoming a successful lawyer in a competitive field.
It’s never been a better time to be a lawyer. The year 2012 saw over one million men and women practicing as licensed lawyers throughout the country. The demographics for lawyers is also starting to see a shift. The American Bar Association’s study may have been conducted back in 2005, but it was an interesting indicator of what the average lawyer may look like in the future — they estimated lawyers at 70% male and 30% female, with this expected to fluctuate slightly over the coming decade. To understand your legislative history taxes is to better understand your state.
The Constitution was created over 200 years ago. As of today there are a total of 27 constitutional amendments. For a new one to make it through Congress it must be ratified by three-fourths of all states at least. State law has relied on state courts looking to evidence of legislative intent for over one hundred years. It was just 15 years ago Californian lawmakers decided the public has a defined right to get government records on not just printed papers, but any format in which they exist. This includes electronic records and digital pages.
As of now there are over 300 bills waiting for Senate action. The cumulative amount of bills enacted by Congress in December for the year’s first session is 33% or so, though a President has 10 days to either sign or veto an enrolled bill. The Senate is composed of 100 Members, with two required from each state irregardless of the state’s population or area. They are elected by the people in strict accordance with the 17th Amendment to the Constitution. These Senators are required to be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States for nine years and an inhabitant of the state for which the Senator is selected.
Despite being a gamechanger in many people’s eyes, California’s initiative process has been criticized as flawed. In 2015 it saw some key changes, such as needing legislators to hold a hearing on an issue’s merits if a proposal gets 25% of the signatures needed to reach its ballot. California legislature has benefited greatly from the influx of new perspectives and is only expected to get better as more and more people become interested in legislative history taxes, federal regulations and legal research websites.
Becoming a lawyer is a time-consuming process, just like it is adjusting legislative history taxes or passing a bill through Senate. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.
