The Specialists

Hello faithful reader! Just coming up for some air to check in. I'll be honest, I"m so sick of studying that I'm at the point where I don't seem to care anymore. I think we're all in that boat now. We just want it over with. I want my life back. I think I have done everything that I can do to prepare for this utterly obnoxious exam. I mean honestly New York, 21 topics?!? As if anyone going into criminal law will give a damn about the elective share, or anyone practicing employment discrimination law will give a rat's patoot about New York's indelible right to counsel. But, it must be done, so I'll do it and hopefully pass it on my first shot out. I do not want to ever go through this again. Obligatory complaining out of the way, onto the post . . .

Flipping through my contracts and torts notes today made me a little nostalgic. I can still remember the anxiety I was feeling, right around this time in 2007 before I started at law school. So, since it seems that this blog has suddenly exploded in readership since I graduated (typical), I thought I'd give a little advice to newly admitted evening students, or maybe even those who are already in the thick of it. Don't worry - I'm not going to tell you to "enjoy it while it lasts" because that would be a load of nonsense. Law school is hard, especially when you attend after work, and you're not going to enjoy most of it.

What I am going to tell you to do is focus. FOCUS. This summer, before you return for the fall, narrow down your interests to one, maybe two, areas of law that you want to practice. Doesn't have to necessarily be specific like "construction contract law," but just begin to define your target area. Then, hone in on them in the classes you select and the activities you join. Many people, author included, went to law school having a general sense that we wanted to practice "the Law", whatever that meant. Unfortunately, the game changed on us while we were embedded, and it was too late to turn back. We were still treating law school as an opportunity that would open doors for us at every turn. That's only partly true. Certain doors will open, but employers are getting ever more specific about their candidates, so you have to know what lies behind the doors before you even open them.

The good news is that you have time to do this, and it's pretty simple. Find your passion. Pick the area of law that suits it, and then focus your efforts on it like a celebrity stalker. Join that section of your bar association, join the closest group in school that works in the area, or even try to get published in that area. The more focused your resume looks by the time you begin your interviews, the better. I may have stated this in an earlier blog, but it's even more true now because the hiring market for lawyers, at least in this area, isn't improving much. the law is becoming increasingly specialized, so it's time that law students do the same. Law school will encourage you to be a generalist. Even the bar exam will force you into a generalist mentality, but the truth is that you have to specialize early. After all, everyone you know in THE WORLD has been asking you what kind of law you want to practice, so might as well start to develop your answer now. Good luck! See you after the bar!