How it works
In law school or thinking about it? Press the button for one of 50 kinds of lawyer, from public defender to space lawyer, each with what the work involves.
Read the full guide
Court, clients or deals
After your first press, the list beside the button narrows the draw. In the courtroom holds trial and appeal work; Helping people holds family, immigration and injury cases; Business and money holds deals and tax; Government and public interest holds work for the public.
Try it before you choose
Set the count to 3 and read about each. In law school, a clinic, a summer job or a moot court team lets you try an area; so does asking a lawyer in it what they did last Tuesday.
Tips
- Many lawyers never argue in court. Deal work, advice and drafting fill most days in business law.
Questions and answers
What kind of lawyer should I be if I like arguing?
Look at trial work: criminal defense, prosecution, personal injury and other litigation, or appellate law if you would rather argue on paper. Moot court and mock trial in school are good tests of whether you enjoy it.
What are the main types of lawyers?
Lawyers split by who they serve and where: criminal lawyers, lawyers for people (family, immigration, estates), business lawyers (corporate, tax, intellectual property) and government or public interest lawyers. This picker holds 50.
Which areas of law help people directly?
Public defenders, legal aid lawyers, family, immigration, elder law and disability rights lawyers work with individual clients on problems that shape their lives.