If you are uncertain what area of law is the best fit for you, consider a split summer. In a split summer, you work half the summer for one employer and the other half for a second employer. It is often difficult to find paid opportunities for a split summer, but if you are volunteering, employers are generally flexible. For example, if you are undecided between family law and commercial litigation, volunteer the first half of the summer with a family law firm and the second with a commercial litigation firm.
Category Archives: Practice Areas
Running Your Own Firm
The Jacksonville Bar Association is presenting a CLE entitled “Running Your Own Firm” on Thursday, January 26th. The seminar will be from 1:15 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. on campus in the Oak Grove Building. The seminar will include a panel discussion about the do’s and don’ts of running your own law firm, trust account issues, and how to reduce your risk of a law suit. This seminar is a great way to bridge the gap from the academic environment to the real world for those who are planning to open their own practice. At 4:30 p.m., immediately following the seminar, there will be a happy hour, which will be a good opportunity to network with presenters and other attendees. The registration fee will be waived for all students. To register, complete the registration form. If you have questions, please contact Karen Rhodin with the Jacksonville Bar at krhodin@jaxbar.org.
Commercial Litigation is HOT!
According to Robert Denny Associates, Inc.’s 23rd annual report on what’s happening in the legal profession, commercial litigation is HOT! This includes a wide assortment of cases with everything from insurance, regulatory, health care, and retail cases. Some experts have reported a large increase in bread-and-butter cases sometimes referred to as “Law Factory work.” With this trend, it appears that more cases are being resolved through alternative dispute resolution rather than actual trials, but this still generates significant work for attorneys representing both sides. To learn how to find experience with a commercial litigation firm, schedule a counseling session with a Career Services Counselor.
Exploring Health Care Law
According to Robert Denney Associates, Inc. and its 23rd annual report of “What’s Hot and What’s Not,” one of the current red hot practice areas is health care. This is a broad area that includes a smattering of other types of law, such as regulatory, finance, professional liability, and labor and employment. The forecast is that regulatory matters in particular may heat up. Schedule a counseling appointment with your Career Counselor to learn more about how to find a firm that practices healthcare law.
What’s Hot and What’s Not
Each December, Robert Denney Associates provides its annual assessment of hot practice areas titled “What’s Hot and What’s Not in the Legal Profession.” Check out this year’s review and learn more about what areas of the law are growing. This can be helpful in developing your job search strategy. In the next few days, I will highlight some of the “red hot” areas.
Rookie Mistakes to Avoid: Office Romance
This mistake seems so obvious that you may be wondering why I included it, but it is actually an issue that many firms have experienced. Office romances are bad for you, bad for the other person, and bad for the firm. This means no dating or flirting, which can be a recipe for disaster.
Moreover, if you are a law clerk hoping to be hired permanently by the firm, you may risk being passed over based upon a perceived lack of judgment for engaging in an office relationship. Think you can simply hide the romance? No way. They always come out in one way or another. This is one mistake that you must simply avoid.
Litigation vs. Transactional Panel on August 23rd
If you are undecided as to whether you are a better fit for a litigation or a transactional practice, don’t miss our panel presentation on August 23rd featuring experienced practitioners from both areas of law. You can sit back and relax as these attorneys compare and contrast both practice areas, and you will also have an opportunity to ask questions. After you digest the information they share, you may then want to schedule an appointment with a Career Services Counselor to discuss your individual situation. So mark your calendars for the 23rd!
Considering a Career in Intellectual Property Law?
Continuing education seminars are great opportunities to network with attorneys in the subject area of practice. If you are considering a career in Intellectual Property Law, The Dade County Bar Association is presenting a short seminar about “What You Need To Know About Intellectual Property Law” on Wednesday, June 8th from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Bankers Club, One Biscayne Tower, 2 South Biscayne Boulevard, 14th Floor in Miami. Speakers will include Mark E. Stein of Higer, Lichter & Givner, LLP and Terri Doud, who is Senior Corporate Counsel at Bacardi U.S.A., Inc. To register for the seminar, click here.