Discern
Deciding to Go to Law School
Figuring out your path post-graduation can be daunting, but it does not have to be that way. After you begin exploring the legal field and you are starting to think that law school is the best step for you, then you should begin discerning what type of law interests you. There are many things to consider before making a decision, but some of the important points to think about are:
- How hands on do you want to be with clients and people that you are providing your services to?
- Some lawyers will be a lot more hands on than others in order to work with their clients.
- Where do you want to live?
- Certain law tracks are going to be more concentrated in cities and some legal careers can happen anywhere across the country
- How much reading and writing would you like to do?
- Most legal careers are going to be filled with reading and writing dense documents, but there are variants of intensity across the different fields
- What are your skills and passions that you can bring to your potential legal career?
- Everybody has different skill sets and passions, so you need to know what you bring to the table to choose the correct field for yourself
You do not need to make all of your final decisions immediately, but let these points guide you as you learn more about specific types of law and decide which field would be best for you. As you explore different fields remember what you want your career in law to look like and what career would make you feel fulfilled in the future. It may take some time to figure out the field that you connect to the most, just follow the process and keep an open mind. Ultimately, it is your choice and you are the only one who can decide which field is right for you.
Types of Law
- Corporate - advising businesses on their legal obligations, rights and responsibilities.
- Litigation
- Patent - representing people who are seeking to obtain a patent to protect their inventions and ideas.
- Intellectual Property
- Public Interest - representing the underprivileged and working for systemic change.
- Immigration
- Family Based Services
- Environmental - working for a public interest group or firm to fight to preserve the environment, or representing companies to navigate environmental regulations.
For more information to help you search through the types of laws you could potentially go into check out the Vault Career Guide to Law.