With law school applicants at a 30-year low, there has never been a better time to pursue a legal career. Some top law schools are now accepting students that they would have overlooked in the past. This does not change the fact that tuition prices are at all-time highs, which has been a deterrent to many prospective students. The idea that law school graduates will not be able to find a lucrative job after graduation has stopped many prospective students as well. Statistically speaking, though, employment for lawyers is expected to grow by 11% between 2006 and 2016.
The Demand For Lawyers
The demand for lawyers will continue to rise, due to growth in population and an increase in business activity. These factors will lead to more legal transactions, criminal cases and civil disputes; therefore, corporate lawyers, criminal lawyers and civil lawyers are all expected to rise in their level of demand.
With the advent of universal health care in the United States, the need for legal professionals specializing in health care law will rise drastically. Another consequence of universal health care will be a demand for lawyers specializing in elderly law. With universal health care the longevity of the United States population is expected to increase.
Continued research into alternative energy will create a demand in environmental, intellectual property and corporate law, because they will be necessary for further progress. Other forms of technology will also be in need of experienced intellectual property and corporate lawyers. Disputes between who developed new products and technology will always keep intellectual property lawyers in high demand.
Furthermore, the increased affordability of legal clinics will lead to middle-class clients to seek legal consultation more often. Hence, lawyers specializing in family, civil, criminal and personal injury will be more readily sought after.
Job Prospects
Most job prospects for lawyers nowadays is concentrated in big law firms, corporations and government agencies. Self-employed lawyers will increase, but at a fraction of salary-employed lawyers. This is primarily due to the difficulty in establishing a reputable law office when facing competition from large, reputable law firms. With the United States law continually growing in its complexity, larger law firms are better equipped to keep up to date with laws ever-changing landscape.
Landing a well-paid position will continue to be competitive in the years to come. It will be helpful for graduates to maintain a relatively high GPA as well as attending a reputable ABA credited law school in order to obtain the best job possible.
Another option for law school graduates is to seek a position in non-traditional area where legal training is a must. This can include, business, managerial and administrative positions in real estate, insurance firms, banks, government agencies and many other types of organizations. Opportunities in these fields will continue to rise just as much as other legal professions, so the demand for lawyers is clearly high.
Alternative Non-Salary Positions
Some law school graduates have began accepting positions at temporary staffing firms. These firms serve to place lawyers in short-term jobs that can help build legal experience. Lawyers in temporary staffing firms are utilized on an as-needed basis. It is especially good for inexperienced lawyers in need of practical training, which may assist them in obtaining salary positions in the near future.
In summation, with the recent recession, it is clear why many have decided to give up the prospect of law school. But even a recession can lead to a demand in lawyers. For those thinking about taking the plunge into a legal career, lawyers will always be needed.
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Andrew Deen is a writer that creates informative articles in relation to the field of law. In this article, he describes the importance of law degrees and aims to encourage further study with a CWSL llm degree.