Major Practice Areas in Legal Jobs
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As a law student you have a variety of fields in which you can practice law. It is up to you to select the one that suits you the best. If you are comfortable with litigation then you should continue with it, if you want to be a Corporate Lawyer then go ahead with it.
Litigation: A. Harrison Barnes of LegalAuthority.com says that many attorneys are amazed by the life of the lawyers that are portrayed in the television and decide to enter the law as young people. But they forget that reality is quite different than what is usually portrayed. The young lawyers are attracted by the high-stakes and win-lose competitiveness that is related to litigation work. It is like a game of chess that requires effort, creativity, superb arguments and splendid negotiating skills.
A vast amount of time of litigation associates is mostly spent in assisting their seniors with the work that is related to the discovery process. Months or years of preparation go into litigation. This process includes volumes of correspondence, filling interrogatories, drafting motions and taking depositions. Litigation is the area that has not been hit by the recession. This is because when the companies are losing money, they move to courts to seek for redress. This is one of the reasons why even in this condition the demand for a litigator is high.
Since the demand for the litigators is very high, it increases the level of competitiveness among the law job seekers. According to A. Harrison Barnes, high academic qualifications, participation in Moot Court, a federal clerkship and so on can keep you ahead of the pack. Successful litigators are smart, hard workers and aggressive.
A good experience in an unusual area of law like employment, toxic torts, intellectual property and so on with a good Legal Firm can overcome other weaknesses in your application.-. Securities litigators and IP litigators are in high demand for these areas including special skills and experience. Even research and writing skills are of critical importance for a litigator.
Intellectual Property: The demand of IP Law has dramatically increased because of United States and other industrialized economies which have migrated from industrial production to intellectual capitalism. These attorneys play a very important role in capitalization of Intellectual property by helping the inventors, artists and entrepreneurs.
Companies invest billions of dollars in research and development every year. They hope to capitalize their inventions in their respective areas of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, biotechnology or pharmaceuticals. A. Harrison Barnes says that without IP Law this would be impossible as in such circumstances the inventions would have been easily stolen and would lessen the returns on the investment made.
IP Law is divided into three parts – patent prosecution, litigation, and trademark and copyright (Soft IP). The technology recession and the collapse of the ‘new economy’ have affected these areas of law in different ways.
Patents grant 20 years of exclusive licenses to make, use, sell or license an innovation. In order to obtain a license, you have to convince the US Patent and Trademark Office that the invention is new and useful. The patent prosecutors research, prepare and apply for patents on behalf of the clients. Since this is a niche position, having a technical degree for example, can compensate for those who did not attend the best law schools.
The Patent litigators on the other hand, help the firms to enforce and secure the profit of their patents. With the increase in the number of patents there is an increase in the demand for patent litigators.
“Soft IP” lawyers are currently facing recession. Since the skills required by a “Soft IP” lawyer are not rigorous, the demand has dropped for such lawyers. Many joined when the economy was in full swing but are now scratching the surface for an opportunity.
Bankruptcy: Bankruptcy is at an all time high. The inability to fulfill financial obligations sends a large number of companies and individuals into insolvency. Bankruptcy is at its high when businesses are failing at an alarming rate. Thus, bankruptcy law is recession proof and makes the demand for such attorneys high. Bankruptcy law comes from the US Bankruptcy Code which stems from a provision in the US Constitution.
Due to the high demand for bankruptcy attorneys, the average credentials land up with good jobs. A. Harrison Barnes says that there are legal employers who ask for candidates from top law schools and with good grades. However, experience as an extern or a stint as a clerk in a bankruptcy court can be valuable assets for lawyers with average credentials.
Corporate: In today’s modern organizations, there is a need for a corporate lawyer to handle the vastly complex regulatory, legislative and legal requirements. The lawyers of this field help, advice and represent the companies. The attorneys help the largest multinational companies to navigate and operate the business. They are their most trusted advisors. They guide and assist the companies through their every commercial activity. They need to handle both strategic and tactical issues, from financial matters to the corporate governance, from employment agreements to tax among others.
The work of a corporate lawyer is very varied and interesting compared to other areas of the law. Their job includes interaction with other lawyers on a daily basis. They can be in-house lawyers or work with law firms Successful corporate lawyers have excellent communication skill and are able to understand and anticipate their client’s needs. A. Harrison Barnes accepts that their work is challenging as well as rewarding.
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