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Law is for You
It’s no straightforward matter deciding to become a lawyer, just as it’s no straightforward matter deciding to do anything, career-wise. It’s a big commitment! Especially with all the schooling that you need to go through. Then, once you can see the end in sight, you need to begin thinking about which area of law you want to practice in. With so much choice, how does anyone ever decide? Below, we’ve put together some useful tips that’ll make finding the right path for you a little bit easier to decide which area of law is for you.
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Take Your Time
First of all, it’s important that you take your time and avoid rushing into anything. It’s easy to feel panicked and to think that you need to just pick something so you can start working on your career, but recognize that this would not be a smart and rational course of action. And if you’re going to be a lawyer, then you need to specialize in smart and rational actions! It’s fine to take your time and wait for the answers to come to you. While you can always change your specialty further down the line, things will be a lot easier if you give yourself some space to get the right answer the first time around.
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Identify Your Passions
If you can identify where your passions lie, then you’ll never steer too far off course in life. Of course, if it were easy to identify passions, then everyone would do it! It can be tricky. To begin, have a think about what aspects of life – not necessarily law – gets you excited, and then go from there. You might be concerned with the environment, in which case an environmental agency would be the right solution.
You might find that you’re passionate about the working world, in which case a law firm that specializes in labor and employment law, such as Ogletree, would be a perfect fit. The world of law is large in scope; whatever your interests are, there’ll be a law firm that’s right for you.
“What’s your motive for going? In the interest of making sure the three-year and six-figure investment is the right one for you, here’s the truth behind some common motives and some important things to consider before taking the plunge”
And Your Strengths
Of course, passion won’t always walk you directly to the right area of law. You also need to keep in mind what your strengths and characteristics are. If you’re a whizz with numbers, then you might want to consider working with tax law. If you’re naturally outgoing and combative, then litigation would be a suitable match for your personality. If you can combine your passions and strengths, then you’ll find the area you belong in.
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Being a lawyer can take you anywhere from a niche role like a construction accident lawyer to being a barrister who is standing in court for someone on a daily basis.
Tweet ThisTalk to Experienced Lawyers
You’re not the first person to go through this struggle, and you won’t be the last, either. Every lawyer has also had to answer this question, so why not use them as a source of advice? Speak to lawyers working in all fields about the process they used to find their practice area, and whether they would change anything if they could do it all again. Whatever area you eventually decide upon, make sure that you’re doing it for the right reasons.
A career as a lawyer is an exciting one! But do you really know what it takes to become one? This book takes you inside the career and shows you the day and the life of a lawyer.
