When working as a securities attorney you will have to be responsible for three different areas, which include:

• Working with clients
• Acting as a resource
• Staying informed on legal rulings and new laws pertaining to securities.

Securities are the investments that can be traded on the secondary market, which is where investors purchase securities from other investors. Two examples of securities are bonds and stocks. They are often traded because they are easy to price. There are three main types of securities, which include:

• Equity securities-these are shares of a corporation
• Debt securities-loans, also called bonds, that are made to a country or company
• Derivative securities-these are based on the value of bonds, assets, or underlying stocks

When working as an attorney their primary focus is working for corporate clients. Typically every big firm that is trading its stock will have a securities attorney working for them or on retainer. Some will work for government agencies in ligation or enforcement.

To become a securities attorney you will need a bachelor’s degree, complete law school, and pass the bar exam. It is advisable that when getting your bachelor’s degree that it be in finance, accounting, or business. Being a securities attorney is a field that is very complex so having a good understanding of financial practices or business accounting is needed in order to have a successful career.

Securities laws are very complex and generally these attorneys are detail oriented. Due to the complexity of the issues, working in litigation or enforcement is very challenging positions. Working as a securities attorney requires that they stay current on all developments and changes in the securities law.

Another important role that such an attorney plays is interacting with their clients so it is important that they have good interpersonal and communication skills. They will be involved in providing guidance on company policy, conflict resolution, dealing with litigation, and protecting the company during any audits they may have. It is critical that you have effective conflict resolution skills.

In many companies a securities attorney will play a very important role as an expert resource. Executives in senior management will often need legal opinions from their securities attorney before they make a decision in regards to company procedures or implementing a new policy. Securities attorneys need to be able to work well with a wide variety of people from management to clients to general employees, be able to share experience and information with staff, and have the ability to quickly resolve problems.

When you are a shareholder or investor the securities attorney is the one that will protect you by making sure that the company is following all the regulations associated with selling stock.