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To successfully navigate the murky seas of the legal ocean, a lawyer must be a subject-matter authority. Therefore, which path is the best to follow? There are several possibilities available to you if you're an ambitious lawyer just starting out. Many people hold the false belief that practicing law entails simply appearing in court and defending clients who have been charged with crimes. The truth is that there are many different themes and practice areas covered by the legal sector.
Even though law schools don't need you to know what kind of law you want to practice before entering, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the many legal specialties prior to attending law school. Here are some examples of the more general legal specialties that law students should think about before deciding on their career:
1. Corporate/Business Law:
Business law is responsible for overseeing the formation, dissolution, and all other legal aspects of managing corporations of all sizes. A business attorney can create contracts, offer agreement counsel, or negotiate terms on behalf of a client. Corporate attorneys could advise clients without ever leaving their offices or appearing in court.
2. Labour Law:
Employment-related issues including compensation and benefits, harassment, or discrimination based on age, gender, or disability are covered under labor law. Particularly, the interactions between employees and their employers are examined under labor law. Additionally, labor lawyers may represent both employees and businesses in collective bargaining and organizations.
3. Environmental Law:
Environmental law is the study of how individuals interact with and impact the environment. An environmental lawyer's responsibilities include defending clients in cases concerning mining, deforestation, pollution, air and water quality, and other areas of practice. Individuals, big and small businesses, and governments are some of their potential clients.
4. Criminal Law:
Crimes like murder, rape, theft, etc. are covered by criminal law. This field of law comprises appearing in court as either an advocate for the accuser or an advocate for the accused, and may involve defending offenders or advocating on behalf of the innocent. Criminal law requires an understanding of court procedures, police investigations, etc. If you're interested in a profession in criminal law, be prepared to spend the majority of your time in court.
5. Property and Real Estate Law:
Any type of immovable property, such as a building, a piece of land, or any natural resources like crops, minerals, or water, is considered real estate. Real estate attorneys therefore work with everyone who has a stake in the aforementioned land, structures, or houses in general. Although they may spend some time in court, real estate attorneys are typically more interested in transactional work.
6. Bankruptcy Law:
In particular, those who are unable to pay their debts are represented by bankruptcy attorneys who are creditors or debtors. Bankruptcy attorneys assist their clients in developing a liquidation and repayment plan that works for them and in making informed decisions.
In this process, counsel is provided throughout the bankruptcy process and at court hearings. Documents are also collected and prepared, and the feasibility of assets to contribute to the repayment of the debtor's outstanding balance is also determined. In similar circumstances, bankruptcy attorneys may be defending individuals, corporations, or businesses.
7. Human Rights Law:
Human rights attorneys stand up for persons whose rights have been violated. For effective human rights advocacy, one needs to be familiar with the fundamental rights protected by the Indian Constitution or the local government. India's procedural laws, including the Code of Criminal Procedure, are also influenced by human rights principles.
8. Cyber Law:
Cyberlaws or IT laws are laws that deal with information technology, particularly computers and the internet. These laws, which address information security, electronic commerce, and the digital transfer of both information and software, have also been referred to as "paper laws" for a "paperless society."
Legal informatics is inextricably tied to the field. Lawyers in this field frequently deal with contract law, personal privacy, freedom of speech, and jurisdiction, as well as digital and, consequently, cyberspace intellectual property.
9. Immigration law:
Immigration lawyers deal with a variety of issues, including naturalization, asylum, and illegal immigration. The legal process that a person must go through in order to become a citizen of a nation they are not naturally a citizen of is known as naturalization, and it requires the assistance of an attorney.
Refugees, displaced persons, and populations fleeing persecution, violence, war, or conflict are granted asylum. Additionally, this is a legal process. Immigration rules also address people who are in a country without authorization. Immigration attorneys may work for the federal or state governments, non-profit organizations, or independent immigration law firms.
This is by no means a complete list of legal specialties. Of course, there are more specialized industries and fields. To choose a specialty and area of practice in the legal field based on their areas of interest, it is helpful for students to have a grasp of the basic categories when they initially enter the field.