Tips on choosing the right course within the framework of a Legal Career

The good news is that as a law student, you have already decided what career you are going into. However, you may still be asking yourself, ''What part of the legal field do I want to work in?'' This article will help you to decide where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and give you tips on how to find your niche in the legal field, so you can answer this nagging question.

Knowing Your Strengths and Weaknesses


It may seem like a simple and obvious exercise, but take a few minutes to clear your head, and then make a two-columned list of your strengths and then your weaknesses. Under the strength column, list items that you feel will further your career.

For example:
 

• ''I'm a people person''
• ''I get along well with others''
• ''I can work in a team atmosphere''
• ''I'm a good leader''
• ''I am self-motivated''
• ''I am very detail-oriented''
• ''I'm good at drafting documents''
• ''I can work well under a lot of stress''
• ''I'm good at meeting deadlines''

Then, make a column that contains your weaknesses. Include any items that you feel may hinder you in a specific area of the legal field.

For example:
 

• ''I do not do well with taking orders''
• ''I tend to overlook small details''
• ''I like to follow rather than lead''
• ''I have a hard time being self-motivated''
• ''I don't do well with work-related changes''
• ''I don't work well with certain types of people''
• ''I tend to cave under intense pressure''
• ''I have a hard time meeting deadlines''

Be honest with your lists, after all, the purpose is to help you find the area that you will find success with in the legal field. If you are dishonest, you may kid yourself into thinking that you'd be happier practicing a different type of law, when in truth, you may not.

Advice: Use in Moderation

You'll find as you edge toward the end of your legal career, that there will not be a shortage of advice from fellow attorneys and law students. Perhaps your uncle has been a DA for the last 20 years and tells you that going into prosecution is in your blood. Or maybe you have a professor who insists working for a non-profit is the best road to travel right out of school. While it is appreciated, don't base your decision solely on advice you receive. Suggestions from others may help you to see all of your options, but you should not let anyone pressure you into practicing law in an area that you may not really want to go into.

Do Your Homework

Before you commit to practicing in a specific area of law, do your homework. Research that area. What kind of hours would you be looking at? What kind of city or town would you need to live in? What is the outlook for attorneys practicing in the area of law? Is there an immediate need? Will it provide you with job security in the future with the economy in its present state? These are all questions to consider before you make a decision.

Dip Your Toe in the Water

Once you have a general idea of what area you would like to go into, what better way to decide if it is right for you than to work in it for a while? As a law student, you have an advantage to those attorneys who are already practicing. You can ''test'' out a few areas while still in school, without necessarily committing to them. For example, you may want to consider a clerkship at the local courthouse, working as a paralegal for a large firm, looking into possible internships, or even just asking a practicing attorney if he or she would allow you to ''shadow'' them at work for a few months. All of these options will give you an inside look into what a specific area of law entails, before you dive right in after school.

Your Niche

You may find after trying these suggestions that your niche may be working for a large law firm, in a small town as a defense attorney, for a non-profit organization, or even in-house for a large corporation. Whatever the case may be, remember to be honest with yourself in your decision, so that your choice will provide you with a career full of satisfaction as an attorney.