Characteristics of a Legal Career The typical family lawyer practices as a solo or in a firm of three or fewer attorneys. There are "boutique" firms in metropolitan areas or Sun Belt cities which specialize in divorce and attract wealthy or famous clients, but most family lawyers practice in a suburban or small town firm. (49 views)
Advantages and Disadvantages of Family Law Over the last thirty years, the field of family law has experienced a tremendous expansion of substantive law topics. While in the past being a family lawyer may have meant primarily handling divorce and custody cases, today's family law practitioner may choose from a wide variety of subspecialties, including adoption, genetics and reproduction, children's rights, elder... (18832 views)
What Type of Personality Traits Are Needed to Help a Family Lawyer Succeed? Many of the legal professionals quickly point out that choosing family law means a great deal of client contact and often times dealing with those who are experiencing highly stressful situations. (6550 views)
Ins and Outs of Specialization Should a lawyer "specialize"? Perhaps, if he can! But is he always free to do so even if he wishes? On the other hand, is he always free not to? (27 views)
Choices are Many, but Choose the One You Cherish There are many different kinds of law practice. Each has its rewards. Each has its problems. But your brother's problems may be your pleasures, on the theory that one man's poison is another man's meat. The trick is to choose that kind of practice in which you will enjoy the normal problems, or at least that in which its advantages (in your own personal scheme of things)... (34 views)
Different Kinds of Practicing Lawyers By far, the largest number of lawyers today, over 70 percent, is engaged in the "private practice" of law. The term private practice is broad. It can include a single lawyer who shares an office over a clothing store in a rural town, as well as a tax specialist who works with several partners and a huge library in a San Francisco skyscraper. (32 views)
Law Students Need to Make Informed Choices About Practice Areas Law students fall into two major groups when it comes to choosing significant or substantive areas of practice: those who have very definite ideas about their substantive preferences and those who do not. (329 views)
Discovering Your Legal Practice Niche Through Internal Practice Analysis Many attorneys feel there is an increasing importance to focus on selected practice areas. Part of this is a reflection of a growing need to establish niches Very simply, emphasizing practice areas, or for that matter even client groups, allows lawyers to become increasingly expert in the needs of the clients. By the same token, most clients appreciate the value of that... (59 views)
Analyzing Potential Legal Practice Areas Let's follow an attorney through an analysis of information about potential practice areas and the results of the analysis on the attorney's current practice. (40 views)
Focusing on an Industry Group to Develop a Legal Practice Niche Several members of Carl's family worked in various parts of the heavy construction business. As a result of his familiarity, it was a logical choice for him, as an attorney, to focus on the legal needs of that industry. (4 views)
Establishing Your Legal Practice By Identifying the Right Geographical Area Camille was a recent law school graduate and new associate with a large metropolitan firm. After her undergraduate work and prior to law school, she had worked for a property development firm as a land use consultant. Therefore after law school, it was logical for Camille to put her efforts into land use law. (23 views)
Finding The Right Geographical Location for Your Legal Career When it comes time to decide where to start practicing, look for a place where you believe you will enjoy the community surroundings and feel secure living among the people who are already there. This is a must. Over the years, as you progress in your practice, you will become an important member of this group; and if you want to enjoy the life, you will have to fit in and... (20 views)
Determining Your Legal Practice Area Most law students plan to practice a particular type of law after they graduate. Unfortunately, reality soon interferes with dreams. Unlike television shows, where the scriptwriters can program their characters into the most exciting legal situations, the individual attorney often has to take what comes along, and in most cases finds involvement working in areas never... (105 views)
What does it mean for an attorney to work in admiralty and martime law Admiralty law or maritime law (the terms are used interchangeably) refers to the law that covers navigation and shipping. U.S. admiralty law dates back to colonial times. The colonies, dependent on navigation and shipping for survival, established admiralty courts similar to those that existed in Britain. ArticleIII, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution and the Judiciary Act... (2444 views)
What does it mean to work as a criminal law attorney The true life of the criminal lawyer differs dramatically from the romanticized versions often portrayed in film and on television. Both public defenders and prosecutors must process numerous cases on limited budgets through an over-burdened and under-funded criminal justice system. Rarely can a defendant afford to present a case with the assistance of a highly paid "dream... (4787 views)
What Does It Mean to Work as an Environmental Law Attorney? Today's children grow up with a keen awareness of environmental issues. Grade school children participate in community efforts to clean up creeks and rivers and spend class time studying the causes of global warming. Preschoolers, coached by sophisticated teachers as well as a certain purple dinosaur, remind family members to recycle. The parents of these savvy... (14350 views)
What Does a Corporate Lawyer Do? Whether negotiating the acquisition of a multibillion dollar company or assisting a small Internet start-up company, corporate lawyers are involved in advising businesses on their numerous legal rights, responsibilities, and obligations. General corporate practice involves handling a wide range of legal issues for businesses. (104605 views)
What Does It Mean to Be a Bankruptcy Lawyer? The bankruptcy system provides an orderly structure for addressing the inability of an individual or organization to meet its monetary obligations. Whether through liquidation and sale of assets or by restructuring and reorganization to allow an orderly payment of debts, the bankruptcy system governs the obligations and rights of creditors (lenders or others to whom a debt... (864 views)
What does it mean to be an Appellate Attorney In an appeal, a higher court—an appellate or supreme court—reviews the decision of a lower court—generally a trial court or an administrative agency. Lawyers specializing in appellate practice handle the process of appealing a final judgment. This may happen in a civil or criminal case after a trial before a judge or jury, or after dismissal of a case upon... (24062 views)
What does it mean to work as a civil litigation attorney If you talk to successful trial lawyers, they will typically agree that most cases are won or lost before the trial ever begins. It is the pretrial process—in which evidence is gathered, facts and case theories are developed, witnesses are interviewed and deposed, and various motions are filed, argued, and decided by the judge—which occupies the vast majority of the... (6504 views)
What Does It Mean to Be a Banking and Commercial Finance Attorney? In the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life, Jimmy Stewart played George Bailey, the quintessential small town banker, a pillar of the community who bore the burden of running the local savings and loan. If George Bailey were to return to Bedford Falls today, he would likely find the local savings and loan had become part of a national conglomerate that offered numerous... (15404 views)
What Does It Mean to Work as an Antitrust Lawyer? With their potential for multimillion dollar damage awards as well as their potential for restructuring entire industries (such as the telecommunications or petro-chemical industries), antitrust cases are complex high-stakes cases that often make fBillt page news. Antitrust law was responsible for the breakup of the Standard Oil Company into numerous competitors as well as... (15632 views)
What It is Like Working in a Boutique Law Firm A boutique firm is usually comprised of a group of experienced lawyers practicing in a specialized area of law. Sometimes the firm is organized around several related legal areas. A boutique, for example, may offer expertise in patent, trademark and other intellectual property services. Less common are boutiques that focus on all the needs of a particular type of client.... (13892 views)
California Top Recruiter Liz Hudson Interviewed about California’s Growing Real Estate Attorney Market Liz Hudson, as a Managing Director at BCG Attorney Search, has her finger on the pulse of West Coast Law. With her unique position working with many of the largest firms in California, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska, and Hawaii, she is excited that to tell us of the improvements the market has made in the second half of 2012. Herself a lawyer with a J.D. from... (194 views)
The Diverse Skillset of the Bankruptcy Lawyer What is the uniform of a bankruptcy lawyer? The rolled-up sleeves of the litigator, poring over case reporters? The broad pinstripes and wide lapels of the M&A bigwig, twisting arms in the boardroom? Or the glen plaid suit and tasteful pocket handkerchief of the gentleman bank counsel? (430 views)
Types of Careers in the Bankruptcy Law Field Bankruptcy law provides a multitude of options for the aspiring bankruptcy ace. First, there's the basic choice between corporate and consumer bankruptcies. Then the decision to specialize, or at least slant, your practice towards a particular aspect. Within each of these categories lies further sub¬groups, based on the nature of the client, the type of work performed,... (1624 views)
Ideal Qualities in a Bankruptcy Attorney Lawyering is often overwhelming, full of important decisions, adversarial situations and, especially in bankruptcy law, constant negotiation and communication with people. A few guiding principles will help you navigate this thicket. These principles are pretty simple - be honest, be ethical, and be clear. It's not so much that these standards of behavior will make you a... (482 views)
How to develop your bankruptcy law career So you've spent a few years at your firm and you're trying to figure out what's next. Most attorneys, after two or three years of practice, enter a restless period. Unhappy attorneys stay this way, drifting from job to job, without any pattern or actual career path. Not a happy way to live your professional life. (585 views)
How to carry out a successful job search in bankruptcy law So your transcript teems with A's and your resume shines with law review and clinical experience. How do you translate that into a job, whether for summer or post-graduation? There are several routes for getting a job straight from law school. First is through your school's OCR - on-campus recruiting - program. Second is seeking out prospective employers yourself. Although... (56 views)
Studying Bankruptcy Law Onward and upward; before you develop a bankruptcy practice, you've gotta get a job. Landing a job in bankruptcy law is no different than getting any legal job. The routes to getting the "right" bankruptcy law position are the same as those for any other legal position, give or take a few bankruptcy-specific tricks. (885 views)