Legal
Types of Attorney Paths to Consider While in Law School
Law school is a time of great decision-making. You decide what you want to specialize in and which type of law you want to practice.
There are many different types of attorneys aka lawyers, and each has its unique path to follow.
This business blog post will discuss the different types of attorney paths you can consider while in law school including:
- Tax
- Corporate
- Personal Injury
- Criminal Defense
- Family
- Intellectual Property
- International
With this information including each speciality’s training and education requirements, we hope you can choose the right discipline for your legal career!
Personal Injury Law
Let’s start with being a personal injury attorney. Did you know the market size of personal injury law between 2016 – 2021 was $38 billion in the USA? Plus it’s going at a rate of 1.6% annually so there’s a lot of room for growth.
Personal Injury attorneys are a type of civil litigators who provide legal representation to people who claim to have been injured, physically or psychologically, due to the negligence of another person, company, a government agency.
Car accidents make up a big chunk of claims. As a personal injury lawyer, you will need to learn how to evaluate and build a strong case to win compensation for the victim.
Personal injury lawyers usually have a law degree but may also hold a degree in another field such as business or public administration. A personal injury attorney can complete an internship with a law firm specializing in personal injury cases.
Personal injury attorneys can help people in cases involving car accidents, accidents in stores, and as stated above, other types of negligence cases.
Corporate Law
Corporate law is one of the most common types of attorney jobs. Corporate lawyers work with companies looking to expand their business and grow in size. They can also help businesses navigate legal problems that arise from time to time (and there will always be some).
A corporate lawyer may also advise how best to structure an organization or deal, whether it’s a merger acquisition negotiation process between two major corporations or simply drafting contracts for employees who want to work at your company!
Criminal Defense Law
A criminal defense lawyer is responsible for defending individuals accused of committing crimes like murder, theft, and fraud. These attorneys use evidence gathered by investigators during investigations into alleged wrongdoing and personal knowledge obtained while interviewing witnesses to mount a defense for their clients in court. Criminal defense lawyers may also get charges against their clients reduced or dropped altogether!
Family Law
Family law attorneys deal with legal issues that involve families. This can include divorce, child custody and visitation, adoption, and spousal support. Family law attorneys must have excellent communication skills to deal with the many emotional issues that often come up during these cases. They must also think on their feet as situations can change quickly in family law disputes!
Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual property (IP) attorneys protect the rights of people who create things like new songs, books, movies, and inventions. They help these creators enforce their copyrights, trademarks, and patents. IP attorneys may also work with companies to develop licensing agreements for the use of copyrighted material or to defend against accusations of patent infringement! Also as we spend more time online digital assets is another area for IP law.
International Law
International law is the body of law that governs relations between countries. Lawyers who specialize in this area often work for international organizations like the United Nations or World Bank. They may also work for private companies that do business in other countries. International lawyers must be familiar with a variety of legal systems and the customs and culture of the countries where they are working!
Taxation Law
Tax attorneys help individuals and businesses comply with state and federal tax laws. This can include preparing tax returns, representing taxpayers during audits, and helping clients negotiate settlements with the IRS.
Tax attorneys must be very detail-oriented, as even the slightest mistake on a tax return can lead to significant penalties. They must also effectively communicate with clients who may not be familiar with complex tax laws. Tax attorneys may also work with estate planning and gift tax laws. As international lawyers, they must be familiar with various legal systems!
Final Thoughts
With so many laws to choose from, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. Some key questions may help you figure out what path best suits your future career goals and aspirations. Maybe you want the opportunity to work in a high-end corporate firm making millions of dollars every year.
Perhaps becoming an intellectual property lawyer sounds more appealing because they get paid well while also doing something creative with their job? Either way, there’s no need to worry about breaking into any new field after graduating college or law school when we have all this information at hand!
We hope these tips will make your decision easier as you prepare yourself for life beyond the classroom. Becoming an attorney in any of the above sectors can be fulfilling and rewarding as you help individuals and corporations navigate the law and courts.