General practitioners, especially in small communities, may handle every matter that is brought to their offices. House counsels are another large group of attorneys. They are employed by business to assist in the internal operations of the business by preventing and solving legal problems.

Lawyers play important roles in society. First of all, they are advisors. A lawyer's product is advice—advice on an infinite variety of subjects. Much of the advice is not on legal matters« but may involve business decisions or family affairs. Second, lawyers are advocates for their clients. Office lawyers negotiating a contract are advocates just as trial lawyers are i their advocacy is directed at other attorneys and their clients, rather than to judges and juries.
Third, Lawyers are negotiators of compromise. They seek to avoid the difficulties and expenses of litigation by finding a mutually satisfactory alternative.

To be a good advisor, advocate and negotiator, lawyers must be cultured. They must be able to appreciate the historical relevance of our fundamental freedoms and the role of law in our society.5 They must be keenly aware of the world in which they live, what is right about it and what is wrong, so that they can fulfil their role as instrument of change.5 They must be compassionate and sensitive to human problems and weaknesses, because the practice of law is a very personal matter.

Lawyers must be courageous and willing to represent unpopular causes，because the right to counsel exists as a necessity.7 They must be willing not only to defend such causes, but to defend the system that requires such representation.

Answer the following questions ：
1. How many types of lawyers are there in China? What are they?
2. (If you are a lawyer) What kind of work do you do?
(If you are a law student) What kind of lawyer do you want to be?
3. What roles do lawyers play in society? Which of them is the most important in your view?
4. Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest American presidents, said that lawyers should be peace makers. What does he mean?
5. If a lawyer knows much about law but very little about anything else, will he be a good lawyer?
6. What are the qualities lawyers should have?
7. What does the author mean by saying that lawyers must be cultured?
8. Describe the work of a defence lawyer in a criminal case. Why should a lawyer be willing to defend a person alleged to have committed a crime?
If you want to make a business contract with a corporation, you'd better go to what type of lawyer?