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Learning about Legal Specialties & Practice Areas
Updated Dec. 29, 2008.
Prepared by Mary Whisner.
Books, DVDs, and websites provide useful information about specialization
of legal careers.
Multiple Legal Specialties
Lisa L. Abrams, The Official Guide to Legal Specialties: An Insider's
Guide to Every Major Practice Area (NALP, 2000). In the
Career Planning office
Admiralty & Maritime Law
Michael Marks Cohen, Fair Winds and Following Seas: A Career in
Admiralty Practice, in Careers in International Law (3d ed. ABA, 2008).
KZ1238.U55C37 2008 at Reference Area
Robert M. Jarvis, Careers in Admiralty and Maritime Law (ABA,
1993). KF299.M37 J37 1993 at Classified Stacks
Corporate Counsel
The Association of Corporate Counsel
website has an In-House
Jobline and information on
Career Development.
Minority Corporate Counsel Association
also includes a Job Bank.
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Employment Law
Mindy Farber, How to Build and Manage an Employment Law Practice
(ABA, 1997). KF299.E44 F37 1997 at Classified Stacks
Entertainment Law
Gary Greenberg, How to Build and Manage an Entertainment Law Practice
(ABA, 2001). KF299.E57 G74 2001 at Classified Stacks
William D. Henslee, Entertainment Law Careers (2d ed. ABA, 1998).
KF299.E57 M46 1998 at Reference Area
Environmental Law
Stuart L. Somach, How to Build and Manage an Environmental Law
Practice (ABA, 2000). KF300.S66 2000 at Classified Stacks
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Estate Planning
Daniel B. Evans, How to Build and Manage an Estates Practice (ABA,
2008). KF300.E83 2008 at Classified Stacks
Family Law
K. William Gibson, How to Build and Manage and Family Law Practice
(ABA, 2006). KF300.C455 2006 at Classified Stacks
Sara Vlajcic, Family Law Careers (ABA, 1998). KF299.F3 V63 1998 at
Reference Area
Government & Public Interest
Serving the Public: A Job Search Guide: Harvard Law School's Handbook
& Directory for Law Students and Lawyers Seeking Public Service Work.
(Vol. 1 is U.S., Vol. 2 is international.) KF299.P8S46 at Reference Area
Alan B. Morrison & Diane T. Chin, Beyond the Big Firm: Profiles of
Lawyers Who Want Something More (2007). KF299.P8 M67 2007
Bradley M. Bittan, The Public Defender Experience: A Student Career
Guide into the Heads and Hearts of America's "Real Lawyers" (1997).
KF9646.B57 1997 at Reference Area
Ronald W. Fox, Lawful Pursuit: Careers in Public Interest Law
(ABA, 1995). KF299.P8F69 1995 at Reference Area
Do Your Legal Career Justice: Opportunities for Entry-Level Attorneys
and Law Students at the U.S. Department of Justice (2002). A short
guide. KF299.G6D6 2002 at Reference Area
Cynthia Siemsen, Emotional Trials: The Moral Dilemmas of Women
Criminal Defense Attorneys (2004). KF299.C7 S55 2004 at Classified
Stacks. Not explicitly a "career" book, but relevant.
Paul B. Wice, Public Defenders and the American Justice System
(2005). KF9646.W53 2005. Not explicitly a "career" book, but includes these
chapters: "The staff attorneys : background and career patterns," "The work
environment and courthouse relationships," and "Personal and professional
issues."
See also the Gallagher guide on
Fellowship
Opportunities in Law.
DVDs
Deborah Ellis, Pursuing a Career or Finding a Calling (Gates
Public Service Law Speaker Series, Feb. 26, 2007). KF299.P8 E45 2007 at
Classified Stacks
Rob McKenna, Washington State Attorney General (Gates Public
Service Law Speaker Series, May 15, 2007). KF299.P8 M35 2007 at Classified
Stacks
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Intellectual Property Law
Careers in Intellectual Property Law (ABA, 1993). KF299.I57 C37
1993 at Classified Stacks
International Law
Salli Anne Swartz, ed., Careers in International Law (3d ed. ABA,
2008). KZ1238.U55C37 2008 at Reference Area
Careers in International Law: A Guide to Career Paths in International
Law (American Society of International Law, 2005). K115.C47 2007 at
Reference Area
See also the Gallagher guide on Careers in
International Law.
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Judicial Clerkships
Debra M. Strauss, Behind the Bench: The Guide to Judicial Clerkships
(BarBri, 2002). KF8771.S85 2002 at Reference Area
Federal Judicial Center website has
descriptions of different court staff positions ("Who
Does What" includes law clerks and other court legal staff).
See also the Gallagher guide on Researching
Judicial Clerkship Opportunities.
Law Librarianship
American Association of Law Libraries,
Education for a Career in Librarianship
University of
Washington Law Librarianship Program
Mary Whisner,
Update to Choosing Law Librarianship: Thoughts for People Contemplating a
Career Move (2008)
Leslie A. Lee & Michelle M. Wu, Beyond the Books: People, Politics,
and Librarianship (2007). Z682.35.V62 B49 2007 at Classified Stacks
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Law Teaching
See Legal Scholarship Blog's
Teaching
page.
Personal Injury
K. William Gibson, How to Build and Manage a Personal Injury Practice
(ABA 2d ed. 2006). KF8925.P3 G53 2006 at Classified Stacks
Real Estate Law
Sidney G. Saltz, Ed., From Handshake to Closing: The Role of the
Commercial Real Estate Lawyer (ABA, 2008). KF665.F76 2008 at Classified
Stacks
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Solo & Small Firm Practice
Carolyn Elefant, Solo by Choice: How to Be the Lawyer You Always
Wanted to Be (2007). KF300.Z9 E44 2007 at Classified Stacks. Elefant
also writes MyShingle, a blog with
lots of great commentary and resources for solo practice.
Jay G. Foonberg, How to Start and Build a Law Practice (5th ed.
ABA, 2004). KF300.Z9F66 2004 at Reference Area
Gerald M. Singer, How to Go Directly into Your Own Solo Law Practice
and Succeed: Into the New Millennium and Beyond (2000, with 2004 supp.).
KF300.S56 2000 at Reference Area
Starting a Law
Practice, links to guides and resources, from the Oklahoma Bar
Association.
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