Lawyer

JOB

Humanities and sciences| Law enforcement and security

Lawyers provide various types of legal advice. The work of lawyers includes handling cases on behalf of clients, such as debts collection, divorce, or damages cases, executing estates of the deceased, administration of bankruptcy estates or mediation. District and Supreme Court attorneys have the exclusive right to litigate in court.

As a lawyer, you could work in either the public or private sector. Lawyers can be found in many places, for example as attorneys and judges, in ministries and public institutions, at financial companies and insurance companies or as company managers, for example.

Main tasks

Examples of lawyers’ tasks:
• providing information on legal status, rights and obligations
• negotiation
• providing advice on the establishment of companies
• preparing documents, such as wills, sales and bonds
• overseeing debt repayments and assisting individuals and companies in resolving finances
• representing victims in court
• representing defendants in criminal cases

Competence requirements

Lawyers must complete a master’s degree in law but must apply for additional qualification to represent cases in court, in addition to various other conditions for the issuance of attorney rights. The desirable traits of lawyers are honesty, precision in working methods, patience and organizational skills, as well as skills at interpersonal communication.

Study

Undergraduate studies in law are a three-year university study program for a BA or BS degree, offered at the Faculty of Law at the University of Iceland, Reykjavík University, and the University of Akureyri, in addition to which studies in business law are offered at Bifröst University. A master’s degree in law is also available at all four universities.