Different Lawyer Specialties & Career Choices

There are a variety of areas of law that an attorney can practice.

The Juris Doctor degree, conferred upon law school graduates, is a degree that opens many doors professionally. Law students are not trained in any particular area of the law, so upon graduation and passing the bar exam, they can choose whichever area of law that they prefer. Lawyers also have the option of being able to practice many areas of law as a general practice, or they can choose one area of law.

Criminal Law

Generally, there are three career choices for lawyers who want to practice criminal law: the district attorney's office, the public defender's office, or private counsel. The district attorney's office and the public defender's office are government agencies, and private lawyers are either solo attorneys or law firm attorneys. Criminal attorneys will prosecute or defendant the accused in summary offenses, DUI cases, misdemeanor cases, and felony cases.

Property Law

Property law is a diverse area of law, and it affords someone who wishes to practice property law many options. Generally, property law encompasses the laws of gifts, land conveyancing, mortgages, land sale contracts, deeds, landlord and tenant law, and water and mineral rights.

Personal Injury Law

Personal injury attorneys are lawyers who practice tort law. Tort law can be broken down into three general areas: intentional torts, negligence, and products liability. An intentional tort is a civil wrong that is not the result of negligence, such as trespassing, assault, battery, or intentional infliction of emotional distress. Many negligence cases involve car accidents, or some other act that was not committed intentionally. A products liability case can be due to a defectively manufactured product, a defectively designed product, or a failure to provide an adequate warning with a product.

Corporate Law

Corporate law is also a diverse area of law for lawyers to practice. If a lawyer wants to practice corporate law, she could work for a law firm that is retained by a business, or could be an employee of the business in its legal department. Corporate lawyers practice contract law and tax law, as well as perform tasks such as: helping register new businesses with state governments, facilitating mergers between companies, and defending the company against lawsuits. Working as an attorney in an in-house counsel capacity is also a stepping stone for transitioning out of the legal profession and climbing the corporate ladder within a company.

Family Law

Family lawyers, in most cases, will handle things such as: divorces, child custody, child and spousal support, and protection from abuse situations. Many family lawyers also deal with juvenile law, such as dependency and delinquency situations.

Estate Law

Lawyers who practice estate law not only write wills, but often times also draft other personal planning documents. Estate lawyers will draft wills and trusts, and also counsel their clients on financial decisions concerning will substitutes, such as life insurance policies, and the tax ramifications of an estate plan. Many estate lawyers also now help clients with other documents concerning health care, such as powers of attorney and living wills.

References

• Law School Admission Council: Fields of Law