These include the general practice of law, corporate counsel, public or governmental law, and specialized areas of legal practice. Many lawyers are general practitioners. While one most often pictures a lawyer in a courtroom scene, many lawyers never appear in court. Most of their time is spent counseling clients, doing research, drafting contracts and other legal documents, planning estates, drafting wills, and similar activities. Contrary to most popular belief, lawyers prefer to solve their client's problem by negotiating a settlement out of court or, preferably, through good advice to prevent the problem.
Most large corporations employ their own legal staffs.
Lawyers on such staffs are referred to as corporate counsel. In addition to corporations, lawyers serve in similar positions for labor unions, trade organizations, universities and many national and international organizations. Government Attorneys Federal, state and local governments employ many attorneys. Most administrative agencies have full-time legal staffs. Other government attorneys serve as prosecutors, public defenders and legal aid attorneys.