One of the more popular legal careers these days is corporate law. In fact, most firms that specialize in corporate law are breaking up their services and farming out work to individual lawyers because it makes more sense for them financially in the long run. At the same time, this increases the opportunity for young lawyers who are interested in contract law, working on insurance claims or reviewing and summarizing medical reports and police reports.
It may not seem like very glamorous work but it is lucrative. First year associates in corporate law can earn an average of $78,000 a year, which is pretty impressive for junior level attorneys. Of course, corporate law may not be your particular cup of tea but there are other legal careers in demand that you might want to consider.
One of these is intellectual property law. This is the area of law that includes copyright and patent claims. It is a field that continues to grow as more and more people attempt to make it big on the basis of their own ideas and concepts, opening up almost endless possibilities for legal careers. The publishing field alone has an ever-increasing need for legal advice and representation as authors are self-publishing and come up against tight copyright laws.
The fact that intellectual property law has become one of the careers in demand within the legal field is reflected by the steady increase in salaries. Lawyers in this field tend to make as much as $10,000 to $15,000 more a year than associates in large firms that specialize in other types of law. That’s pretty significant proof of just how popular intellectual property law has become.
Yet another of today’s most popular legal careers is health care law. Not surprisingly, with the advent of the Affordable Care Act and issues like Medicare fraud and embryonic stem cell research pushing the boundaries of health care, there are a myriad of legal issues springing up along with them. And this has opened the door for qualified attorneys to navigate these sometimes-muddy waters.
With everything from elder care to medical insurance fraud requiring legal involvement, the number of health related legal claims is escalating at an alarming rate. And that burgeoning field translates into a tremendous opportunity for young lawyers trying to make headway in their profession. So it’s easy to see why this is one of the careers in demand in the law today.
So what does all of this tell you? Simply, that when it comes to having a successful law career you shouldn’t necessarily put all of your eggs in one basket. Consider all of the opportunities for legal careers and hopefully you’ll be able to find your niche. And it just might be one that surprises you!
The author of this blog is not an attorney and the information contained in these blogs should not be considered legal advice. The information provided here is based on the experience of the author and some of her clients whose actual names are not mentioned. Do not hesitate to seek the advice of an attorney if you have any legal questions.
