7 Hot Law Jobs for the Future: Emerging Practice Areas in the Law
by David Finley, Esq.
Recently the legal profession has undergone substantial changes. Choosing a future direction can be a daunting task for new attorneys regarding the best choice for future career development. However, an overriding consideration, especially in a highly competitive job market, is to look towards those practice areas that are predicted to see the largest growth in the coming decade. This article discusses several areas where such growth is expected.
Developing a Strategic Approach
It is important for recent or upcoming law graduates to understand that there are many potential rewarding and potentially lucrative avenues to pursue as an attorney. When looking at the list below, be sure to assess what area of law your particular background can bring to your place of employment. For example, if you have a very strong science or engineering background, Intellectual Property may be the ideal fit for you. Or, if you have experience in an IT setting, building your expertise around Cyber Security could be a great option for you.
Also, it is important to begin thinking about your career direction as early as possible. If you’ve honed in on a direction you’d like to pursue, learn what skills are needed to be successful in that area and take actions to build your knowledge base. Reach out to attorneys practicing in your desired field by offering to buy them a cup of coffee to learn more about their work and build your connection network. If you’re still in law school, take elective classes, clinics, or seminars to help build those skills – and develop your resume to support that direction. Join student organizations and attend affiliated local bar association events. If you’ve already graduated, join related bar associations and be an active member of the organization by volunteering your time, attending lunch or dinner meetings, etc. Focus your required CLE on your area of interest and use those training sessions, not only to develop your knowledge and skills but to meet others practicing in that area. If your current firm has a division that specializes in your desired area, offer to help the attorneys in that division. Or if your firm doesn’t currently practice in this area, offer to build a new practice area for your firm by becoming knowledgeable on the subject and using your networking and marketing skills to bring in new clients seeking legal services.
Below are seven hot legal practice areas that area expected to see growth in the coming years.
Cyber Security Law
Particularly due to recent events in global affairs and the corporate sector, Cyber Security Law is an emerging field that is expected to see rapid expansion in the coming years. According to FindLaw’s Strategist Blog, lawyers will have increasing opportunities to work in-house for major companies to ensure compliance with data protection or the aftermath of data breaches. Positions will also arise in the government as agencies and other public organizations pursue a safer cyberspace. Additionally, there will be a growing opportunities for consulting positions for lawyers serving the interests of multi-national firms around the globe. In terms of emerging fields, the possibilities are truly endless when it comes to Cyber Security Law.
Commercial Law
As reported in Robert Half’s Legal Hiring Outlook and Hot Practice Areas, “Renewed business activity has legal employers adding more law jobs to support commercial transactions such as contract administration, financial reporting and procurement.” Commercial Law will also be a growth area due to firms wanting to ensure contract administration and financial compliance. One of the hottest growth areas in its own right, compliance will dominate the commercial space due to the increased cases of lack of financial compliance. Thus, firms will want legal expertise to ensure that their multiple offices are not violating regulations that could endanger their firm’s reputation. In terms of increased commercial activity, firms will need to execute a greater number of contracts to facilitate their deals both domestically and internationally. Three law jobs — contract manager, litigation support (eDiscovery director) and compliance director — will see the largest gains in annual base compensation, according to the Robert Half Legal Salary Guide.
Employment Law
Employment Law is an area that has and will remain consistent for law graduates due to the reality that firms periodically need to hire, lay off or fire staff. The potential risks that can result when a worker is hurt or terminated requires a lawyer’s advice. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, Employment Law has become more important than ever, and that means attorneys on both sides of these cases will see increases in activity. Employment Law also becomes relevant when the minimum wage is modified and employment standards, which firms can also retain in house counsel if they need to ensure compliance in multiple offices.
Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual Property Law provides a wealth of opportunities in the modern tech-driven environment, encompassing a wide-range of specialty areas, including copyrights, trademarks, patents, privacy, music, art, intellectual assets, international law, and much more. Law firms typically seek attorneys with a strong background in engineering or science to be able to handle the underlying technology involved. (FindLaw). Even without such backgrounds, attorneys who are well-versed in core trademark and copyright principles for multiple markets will be valuable assets in the rapidly growing Intellectual Property Law sector.
Elder Law
According to a recent ABA report, Elder Law is a rapidly evolving field to enter due to the many cases of elder abuse relating to financial scams, conflicts with family members, and abuse at care facilities. This area of law continues to grow due to the aging American population and the need for a wide variety of legal services. Whether it is issues related to healthcare, estate planning or financial fraud, Elder Law requires a particular legal expertise that the job market will need in the coming years, .
Real Estate Law
Real Estate Law is a niche area that continues to provide a myriad of opportunities for legal professionals. While the number of foreclosures has eased as we moved past the great recession from the last decade, demand continues to grow for buying and selling of properties, disputes between landlords and tenants, commercial law transactions, and many more, thus providing a robust attorney job marketing for many decades to come.
Healthcare Law
With the ongoing political battles surrounding healthcare policy in America, the legal job market in this sphere continues to be robust. Potential job openings include those related to insurance regulation, policy drafting, government roles, along with advising clients on insurance claims. This area of law will be particularly lucrative in the next decade as the United States reforms its healthcare policies and both companies and individuals need legal expertise to obtain the right healthcare solutions.
Ultimately, it is to your advantage to take a strategic approach to your career development. With a focused long term plan and hard work, you can tap into the many opportunities in these exciting new practice areas.
