There are many different areas of law practice. The body of knowledge of all laws and legal issues is so broad that most lawyers focus their expertise on just one area of it as a matter of necessity. It would be nearly impossible for any one person to be sufficiently knowledgeable in all areas. As a result of these differing requirements, lawyers’ education is divided into different law streams.
However, law clerks’ education is not strictly codified into distinct streams. In other words, there are not separate law clerk diplomas for separate streams of legal specialization. Nevertheless, some degree of specialization is a component of becoming a successful law clerk.
Your courses will provide you with a diverse set of skills and knowledge of the law that is applicable in several legal fields. During your internship and some more focused portions of your courses, you will be able to start concentrating on a more specialized area of your choosing.
Here are some of the most common areas of law with a high demand for law clerks. Each of these areas requires some specialized knowledge that you can focus on during your education.
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Family Law
As the name implies, this area of law covers all of the legal concerns of families. For example, marriage, divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, and protective services all have specialized legal requirements. -
Real Estate Law
There are many laws specifically concerning the purchase, sale, mortgaging, leasing, and zoning of land and buildings. Laws regarding the rights and responsibilities of property owners, tenants, and communities are also included in real estate law. -
Litigation
Litigation covers all types of lawsuits between parties. There are often different sub-specializations of litigation depending on the context. For example, there may be special concerns for litigation in real estate law or corporate law. -
Commercial and Corporate law
Any legal matter relating to the operation of businesses can be considered a part of commercial and corporate law. Contract negotiation, business formation and termination, business acquisitions, mergers, and corporate taxes are just some of the elements of this area. -
Wills and Estates
Managing the transition of assets to beneficiaries in a will can be a very complicated task. This area of law looks after the interests of clients after they have died or become incapacitated. This includes handling any taxes following a client’s death.
