Waad Abdulakreem

Career path-BUS 1010

E-Portfolio Project Paper
11/27/16

For my career path, I want to become a lawyer and sine there are so
many specialties with law I chose to be a civil rights lawyer. I am just going
to go over some good information that might be needed to know exactly
what this career involves. Civil rights purpose is to protect people from
harassment of mental, physical, gender, religion, age, race, and a lot more
as well as protecting the individuals privacy, freedom and their speech.
This career requires some education, I should first have a bachelors
degree, then get a Juris Doctor Law degree. I must have a great resume and
get some transcripts that should reflect to civil rights issues. I should also
attend courses about civil rights, race, religion, and law of human rights. I
also might have to volunteer for project to gain some more knowledge and
off course that could be something I will add on my resume.
A civil rights attorneys job involves:

presenting cases to judges and juries

deciphering laws and rulings for individuals, businesses and

organizations

investigating legal data

negotiating settlements of legal disputes

Waad Abdulakreem
Career path-BUS 1010
E-Portfolio Project Paper
11/27/16
formulating legal briefs

filing legal appeals in the federal and state court of appeals

Civil Rights Attorney Salary & Career Outlook

Civil rights attorney salaries vary depending on employer, their
location as well as the experience, civil rights attorneys salary can
range between $69,000 and $145,000. The FBI has a civil rights
division focusing its efforts on issues such as hate crimes, human
trafficking, color of law abuses and freedom to access clinic
entrances. The U.S. Department of Justice attorneys prosecute these
cases. An entry-level attorney in this division earns a base pay of
$50,287 per year, while more experienced attorneys in a large, urban
setting earn $86,927 per year. Public interest jobs are particularly
competitive. LawyerEdu.org.
I personally feel like this career will defiantly be super optimistic to
where I will be able to learn a lot and earn. And most importantly I feel
like this career gives me power or what I call it strength.
As one of my references I interviewed a lawyer here in Salt Lake
City, his name is Scott Williams. I had few questions set up for him first
one was; what do lawyers do every day? And he said that attorneys
life is super busy they are always in their office with clients answering
questions, advising and consoling. Lawyers job is to represent their
clients in court and make sure we give them the best options. He also

Waad Abdulakreem
Career path-BUS 1010
E-Portfolio Project Paper
11/27/16
mentioned that lawyers are the once that goes to court most of the
time for their clients, get motions and requests as well as letting their
clients know what is going on.
Few other questions I asked were things like the education I asked
Scott Williams about the school he went to, the time it took him and
what he majored in for his bachelors. Scott stated that it took him
about 8 years to complete his schooling, he went to the University of
Utah which he mentioned it was great and he gave me great advice on
what I should do to get started. He also said that his bachelors were in
psychology which he really liked and I feel like that would be
something I will really like. And because of his timing that was all the
information I could really get from him but I also did some other
research online about a famous civil rights attorney.
I found an article about Morris Dees who co-founded the
Southern Poverty Law Center that addresses cases of racial
discrimination and combats the power of hate groups. BIO.Journalist,
Civil Rights Activitis, Lawyer (1936)

Morris was born on 12,16,1936 in Alabama, He was a smart kid that

started selling and buying at a young age, he used to sell pigs and
right after he graduated he enrolled at the University of Alabama
where he got both his undergraduate and his law degree. Something
that made Dees think more about law and being a civil right attorney is
a scene that he witnessed where there were white students harassing
an African American. Dees started a business with friend where he

Waad Abdulakreem
Career path-BUS 1010
E-Portfolio Project Paper
11/27/16
started a direct mail business, they both firmed their own law practice
in Montgomery, Alabama. They grew their business, then Dees decided
to buy his friends share of the business in 1965. He then decided to
sell his company and start focusing more on his law career which he
started taking suits, he started filing suite cases against hate groups,
claiming damages for the violence incited by these individuals. And
because he was very successful at his job and he was winning cases he
then started receiving death threats, but that did not stop him. Mr.
Dees salary was about $275,000.
Pros/ advantages of becoming a lawyer are that:
o Lawyers have one of the highest salary, the median annual
o
o
o
o

salary of $114,970
There are various specialty areas to choose from.
It is needed in wide range of industries.
Work environment
Financial rewards and emotional rewards.

And the disadvantages are that they:

o
o
o
o
o

It takes long time to become a lawyer

You pay a lot to become one
Often face heavy pressure during trials.
Long work hours
Strong competition for admission to law school.

I took an assessment test to see how I would fit in this career and
these were the questions:
1. Is money your main motivator? And my answer is that money is not the major focus
to me but it is also an important part.

Waad Abdulakreem
Career path-BUS 1010
E-Portfolio Project Paper
11/27/16
2. Do you have any legal experience? I do not have a lot of experience yet.
3. What hours are you willing to work? I am fixable to work whatever hours I need to
especially when I am done with school.
4. Are you interested in a field that lends itself to law? Yes

And I took two other assessments. My results were that I am interested

and motivated but I still need to do some research and get more
knowledge and now after these researches I felt like it helped me a lot
know exactly what direction I need next or what is my next step and
also if it is really something I want to do.

References:
o http://www.biography.com/people/morris-dees-21415735#earlylife
o http://www.lawyeredu.org/online-law-schools.html?
state=ONLINE&page_key=CRIMINAL-JUSTICE-LEGALSAFETY&subject=LAW-SCHOOL&searching=true
o http://www.lawyeredu.org/utah.html#lsat
o Scott Williams, Lawyer.
o http://work.chron.com/long-takes-become-lawyer-17080.html
o http://www.careerprofiles.info/lawyers-attorney-career.html
o http://www.law.utah.edu/

Waad Abdulakreem
Career path-BUS 1010
E-Portfolio Project Paper
11/27/16