Career Exploration

What Does an Attorney Do, Anyway?

Many students enter law school with a limited idea of what attorneys actually do. Media and community “knowledge” have created a false sense of familiarity with the profession.

Not all lawyers are alike.

Some lawyers work in courtrooms daily, while others rarely see a courtroom. Lawyers can work in private law firms, all levels of government, corporations, academia and in non-profit organizations.   Some lawyers even work in non-legal fields. The staff of the Career Services Office would like to provide you with facts as you plot your career path.

Legal Practice Areas

Most attorneys spend the bulk of their work-life in specific subsets of law, known as legal practice areas. These practice areas cover subjects from “Aboriginal People” to “Zoning” law and everything in between. The Career Services staff encourages exploration of practice areas so that you can find the best “fit”. A good online starting point is www.hg.org/practiceareas.html, a website that provides basic information on over 250 legal practice areas. Find out about individual practices with links to other related websites.