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What different law options are there? What does each one look like? How do I decide which one is best for me? What high school class will best help me before college

How to decide which part of this career would work best with me?

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Rafael’s Answer

Hey Ashley, awesome that you're thinking about law this early because there are so many paths within it. The major areas include criminal law (prosecuting or defending accused individuals), civil litigation (disputes between people or companies), family law (divorce, custody, adoption), corporate law (helping businesses with contracts and deals), intellectual property law (protecting inventions and creative works), environmental law, immigration law, real estate law, health law, and entertainment/sports law. Each one looks really different day to day, like a criminal lawyer spends a lot of time in courtrooms while a corporate lawyer is mostly in an office drafting contracts, so it comes down to what kind of work and impact excites you. From my own experience, what helped me most was just trying different things through internships and projects until a pattern emerged, because I started in one area and then realized I was more passionate about something adjacent, so don't stress about picking perfectly right now. To figure out what suits you, ask yourself whether you prefer debating or researching, working with individuals or organizations, and try to get real exposure by volunteering at a legal aid office, attending public court hearings, or chatting with lawyers in different fields. For high school classes, focus on anything that builds reading, writing, and critical thinking like AP English, AP Government, AP History, debate, psychology, and economics, and definitely join mock trial or debate club because it gives you the closest real taste of legal reasoning before college.
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Danielle’s Answer

Hi Ashley! With a law degree, there are many career paths and types of law you can practice. Some students know exactly what kind of lawyer they want to be, while others, like me, are unsure at first and may not know all the options when entering law school. The good news is that law school is the perfect time to figure it out. You don't need to feel pressured to have everything planned before starting. In the meantime, try new things, read a lot, take different classes in undergrad, and talk to lawyers about their jobs, including their daily routines. Your college career office might help with this. This way, you'll naturally discover what interests you. Remember, it's okay to change your mind in law school too. You might be surprised by what you choose in the end. Good luck!
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DENNIS A’s Answer

Ashley: Let the path choose you!

Once you are in law school you will have to take all sorts of different classes from contracts to property rights. As you get exposed to the different types of laws and classes you will find out which one fits you. I hated tax law! However I had to take it. As you take the different classes you'll see which ones you hate and which ones you like. Your path will become clear. Sounds simply but it really is - you don't want to spend your life doing something you hate!
Good luck!
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