Official Guide to Legal Specialties (Academic and Career Success Series)

As other reviewers pointed out, this book doesn't indicate a single negative aspect about any of the practice areas it covers. To me, this seemed unrealistic and impractical for someone trying to make a decision about their career path - being presented with all pros and no cons. I purchased this book to explore possible alternative practice areas for my established practice, perhaps as a guide for new associates I may employ who want to explore different areas of law - and I was disappointed.For starters, I was surprised that many relatively common areas of practice were not addressed at all, such as Social Security Disability, construction law, and a few others. Then, the scope of the people interviewed in this book seems to be comprised mainly of attorneys from Illinois, Minnesota, and Washington DC. I understand that the author has a connection to Illinois, but a criminal defense practice in Chicago may be very different from one in a small town in Utah. Next, the daily tasks. This one drew a few smiles from me. Other than perhaps the description of the prosecutor's job, nearly every single practice area involved several hours per day on the phone, client meetings, and depositions. Really? After a while, all the tasks from the various practice areas begin to blend together and the practice of law seems like one lengthy phone call. Finally, glowing in the warmth of their practice areas, it would seem that all these lawyers are in love with their clients and spend their careers waltzing from one pleasant scene to the next. What about the reality of chasing clients for unpaid bills? Clients who report lawyers to the licensing authorities or sue them for malpractice?Bottom line: the practice of law is not all rainbows and butterflies, but this book would make it seem as though it is.

For my daughter in law school, she thinks the book is great

Good overview of legal specialties. Would like to see an updated version, especially as I’m sure the specialties have evolved (particularly those involving technology or the internet). Very useful.

Comprehensive yet easy to read guide gives good insights into each practice area.

Most books available on the legal field are not all that helpful - this book is not one of them. It is very well written and provides a great overview of many legal specialties. A must for Career Offices and students and lawyers who are unsure what field they want to practice in or how they can involved in a particular field of law.

This book is a good place to start, it gives a good overview for someone just exploring the different legal specialties out there.I doesn't have as much detail as I would have liked, but I still think its a good place to start for anyone considering law school.

I found the book to be well written and researched. The varied perspectives for each specialty add depth to the discussion. I highly recommend this text for anyone considering the practice of law as a vocation or law students and young attorneys seeking career focus and guidance.

My career center had this and I loved it so much I had to buy it for myself. I can see myself referencing it for years to come even after I choose one path, in case I want to move laterally.