Published by Programme B
Current events, the global pandemic, and social changes are all driving more students than ever to apply to law school. With reasons ranging from hoping to make a change in the world, a desire to impact social change, concerns about future finances, and more, many eager potential law students are now grappling with what type of law to study.
If you’re considering applying to law school, or if you’re curious about career opportunities in law, read on for a closer look at three types of legal practice.
1. Personal Injury Law
Have you ever been hurt in an accident? Do you know someone who has? Have you ever felt helpless about it? Personal injury law could be a great place to start when thinking of an area of law to specialize in.
Most people are familiar with personal injury lawyers because they advertise well and are in high demand all over the world. Sadly, accidents happen every day and personal injury lawyers play a big role in helping people to move on after serious injuries that are no fault of their own. These lawyers work to make sure that serious injury victims can go on to lead quality lives after an accident. Cases could include malpractice, wrongful death, car accidents, slips and falls, and more.
Maybe you were hurt at work or in a car accident in New York City due to someone else’s negligence. For you, a Google search for ‘New York trial lawyers‘ would be a great place to start. A firm like Chaikin LaPenna, PLLC would be able to work with you to get fair compensation for your injuries. As trial lawyers with years of experience in personal injury, the legal team at Chaikin LaPenna will start by giving you a free consultation to go over your legal options.
One reason to study personal injury law would be to help people like Chaikin’s clients to be compensated for their pain and suffering. As a litigator on a personal injury case, it would be your job to prove that a business, landlord, or driver didn’t take necessary precautions to avoid the accident that caused your client harm. Not only would you offer legal advice to your client about how to manage medical expenses and their personal injury claim in the present, but you’d be giving them a chance at peace of mind in the future after securing a favorable verdict.
2. Administrative and Organizational Law
Are you someone who’s passionate about human rights and working conditions? Are equal rights for workers important to you? A lesser-known type of law is administrative law. Attorneys who are interested in social justice, how governments run, how to build a healthier society, and social justice, like Malliha Wilson of Ontario, work with complex litigation to make a big difference in the lives of large communities. Malliha served as the Assistant Deputy Attorney General to the Ontario government and knows a thing or two about being a litigator who fights for human rights in the courts. Administrative and organizational lawyers work hard to see that people are treated fairly in governments and corporations. If you’re someone who has an interest in making change at a federal level or participating in the representation of the public to ensure human rights, a specialization in administrative or organizational law might be right for you.
Many people don’t realize that part of the legal process involves advocacy work for large populations in this area of law. If you’re someone who isn’t afraid of big headlines, hopes to earn a law degree, and really wants to make positive changes in the world, it would be a good idea to study Wilson’s work with the Ontario government and the Supreme Court of Canada to learn more about what administration law is all about.
3. Criminal Law
Do you enjoy debate? Is justice something you’re passionate about? Have you ever been curious about forensics and criminal justice? A career as a criminal lawyer could be for you.
Most people are familiar with criminal law. Whether working as a public defender or prosecutor as a representative of the people, criminal lawyers spend a lot of time in court and juggling paperwork that comes with criminal cases. Criminal attorneys are especially busy with research and untangling new laws as the world grapples with these uncertain times. If you think you’d enjoy making arguments in court, standing up for a client’s rights, or representing a victim or their family, criminal law could be for you.
Before you decide what type of law to specialize in, try making a bucket list of the types of issues you think you’d be interested in committing your education and career to. In the same way you might be looking at travel plans in 2021 with Welcome to Trip City, you’ll increase your odds of finding the perfect concentration area for you if you spend lockdown time considering the possibilities when it comes to the study and practice of law. Like weighing the pros and cons of a river cruise or ski resort getaway, you’ll want to do the same with areas of law.
From helping people get fair compensation for an injury to impacting social conditions and justice, becoming an attorney is a great way to make a difference in the world. Regardless of the law you choose to study, specializing in the type of law you’re passionate about is a great first step in making a difference.