When I scan the internet reading blogs it seems most lawyers have very defined practice areas. As a law student it seems difficult to narrow down an area that I would like to practice. I understand there are only 24 hours in a day and not enough time to be proficient at everything, but what goes into making the right choice?
Of course there are some obvious things to consider such as your interest, time, experience, and market size. It is a difficult task trying to narrow it down. It is possible my lack of experience is leading me to believe I want to practice in many areas. What factors helped you decide?
I guess we all want lawyers to avoid the fate of a large general practice. It is typically a fate of frustration, reduced earnings, struggle and a delay really in personal and professional growth. So, we preach niche it – niche it now. Some do. Most do not. Some start in one area and migrate over to another. I know interest is not enough. I still have intense interest in other areas that I follow from afar and wonder about. Things I might like to do. But, I have found a niche and I am sticking with it. This is because I am good at it, but also because when I try to find time to venture out I cannot find that time.
I tend to think the problem with those not niching early on has less to do with interest, but a desire to own the World. I see it a lot in those I talk with. They want to make money any way they can get it. Or they have an image of themselves as a general litigation attorney.
All of that is fine, I guess, but the reality is that most people niche (or at least settle on a practice area) early on in their career. Most do not stick with doing everything long. They delve into chasing multiple cases of different sorts, and typically their first few cases start to define them as a lawyer in this regard. Sometimes this is good in the long term. Sometimes this is bad. From my perspective I really do not want to feel stuck later on in a practice area that found me instead of me finding it.
Knowing this, it is alright to go out and look for your interest. To get experience. The learn the “hard way”. If that is what you need to do, then do it, and do not worry about it, regardless of what I and other preach. We all understand the task at hand, and how difficult it is. Nobody but you is going to make this decision and in the long run you need to satisfy you. Not me or anybody else. If you feel you need to run the field first to get that done, then do it. It is okay.
Let me say this. When you look at interest. Do not look at practice area or cases first. Look at what you enjoy. What is the common denominator. Do not look at it in legal terms or practice areas. What injustice do you see, maybe.? Do you like meeting people? Do you like research? Apart from law, what do you think are your core competencies? Then backtrack from there. Too many lawyers start off with, what are my interest, and immediately start thinking in practice area terms. Then, of course, you do not have the experience for that and the project fails.
Also, don’t worry whether others are doing it or not. When I started out in my niche literally nobody was doing it. Before that, in the 80s, when I started promoting Chapter 13 bankruptcy, very few were filed. It does not matter if nobody or everybody is practicing what you want.
But, we all understand that soul searching is hard. The best to you in this regard.
[Reply]
Michael West Reply:
March 7th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Thanks Chuck for the excellent reply! It appears to be very sound advice. I like the “niche it now” way of running my practice, and hopefully when the time comes I will have narrowed the scope of my decision.
[Reply]
Chuck Newton Reply:
March 7th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Best to you.
[Reply]