Best Fields of Law to Practice Forum

[A'nold]

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[A'nold]

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[dontknowwhereimgoin]

OP: What do u mean you don't meet the requirements for patent law?

[jdland2010]

Thanks for calling me a troll--by the way: I am not one.

You sound like a wonderful person too--you jerk.

I understand this and think that the solo practioner was completely right (people do need those things, regardless of the economic outlook). But, I am not interested in going that solo route...it's way to difficult and not a lot of solo people make a decent living.

On the otherhand, I personally know some that do (solo) and they are strictly personal injury (aka ambulance chasers). They do extremely well. Personal injury doesn't excite me in the least bit--even with the money. Criminal defense and all the rest of the stuff is not that exciting to me either--I have seen the majority of the clients that they see: most of them are scum bags and low-lives. Most are lower-class people.

I know that some my find these comments to be mean, but I am calling it like I see it. I will not apologize either.

Recently a solo practitioner was a guest lecturer at my school, and after the lecture I asked him a similar question (the context of course was for solo practice or work in a small/boutique firm). He answered stating that general litigation areas are the most reliable. Personal injury, workers compensation, breach of contract, divorces, and criminal defense are always reliable areas that get money in the door regardless of how the economy is. He said that no matter how bad things get people are always suing each other and committing crime.

I know you are a troll, but that whole writing over the top of the quoted posts thing is freaking annoying. Btw- lol at you finding tax law exciting but not personal injury. You must be a gem of a person to be around.

[jdland2010]

Thanks jerk. You must have loads of free time on your hands btw.

Maybe you shouldn't post anything, because you have an attitude. Your part of the problem and the reason why people don't respect lawyers and law students--people like you are always quick with your tongue and looking to cut someone else down.

It's "you're" not "your" in your sentence. Also, try an em dash—they work wonders. You're welcome.

[erniesto]

I'm taking about being both lucrative and secure.

If this is your criteria, my guess is tax and bankruptcy. Otherwise, the rest are generally going to be subject to the whims of the economy.

Bankruptcy/foreclosure could just be another short term bubble. I think with the current administrative changes and Obama's unpredictability its hard to predict what the next big venture will be. IP should always be decent.

[jdland2010]

I would love to know what this said originally

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[jdland2010]

I would love to know what this said originally

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[jdland2010]

Things have been very unpredictable lately for sure...maybe things will get back to normal when they vote out everyone who voted for his last bill

I'm taking about being both lucrative and secure.

If this is your criteria, my guess is tax and bankruptcy. Otherwise, the rest are generally going to be subject to the whims of the economy.

Bankruptcy/foreclosure could just be another short term bubble. I think with the current administrative changes and Obama's unpredictability its hard to predict what the next big venture will be. IP should always be decent.

[jdland2010]

Read through this...It will take me too long to explain on here...
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/dcom/olia/oed/grb.pdf

OP: What do u mean you don't meet the requirements for patent law?

[motiontodismiss]

I'm taking about being both lucrative and secure.

If this is your criteria, my guess is tax and bankruptcy. Otherwise, the rest are generally going to be subject to the whims of the economy.

Bankruptcy/foreclosure could just be another short term bubble. I think with the current administrative changes and Obama's unpredictability its hard to predict what the next big venture will be. IP should always be decent.

Isn't bankruptcy always countercyclical? Companies and people tend to declare bankruptcy when the economy goes into the toilet.

I would think the best way to achieve job security AND high pay is to diversify. 1 cyclical practice, 1 countercyclical, and 1 noncyclical.

[truthypants]

I understand this and think that the solo practioner was completely right (people do need those things, regardless of the economic outlook). But, I am not interested in going that solo route...it's way to difficult and not a lot of solo people make a decent living.

On the otherhand, I personally know some that do (solo) and they are strictly personal injury (aka ambulance chasers). They do extremely well. Personal injury doesn't excite me in the least bit--even with the money. Criminal defense and all the rest of the stuff is not that exciting to me either--I have seen the majority of the clients that they see: most of them are scum bags and low-lives. Most are lower-class people.

I know that some my find these comments to be mean, but I am calling it like I see it. I will not apologize either.

Recently a solo practitioner was a guest lecturer at my school, and after the lecture I asked him a similar question (the context of course was for solo practice or work in a small/boutique firm). He answered stating that general litigation areas are the most reliable. Personal injury, workers compensation, breach of contract, divorces, and criminal defense are always reliable areas that get money in the door regardless of how the economy is. He said that no matter how bad things get people are always suing each other and committing crime.

I think the proper term of art for these areas is "shitlaw".

[patrickd139]

Isn't bankruptcy always countercyclical? Companies and people tend to declare bankruptcy when the economy goes into the toilet.

I would think the best way to achieve job security AND high pay is to diversify. 1 cyclical practice, 1 countercyclical, and 1 noncyclical.

While I agree with the second part of your post (for the most part; it's hard to diversify a practice in, say, a large firm, which is where the highest concentration of salaries the OP is looking for resides), bankruptcy is not always counter-cyclical. Especially with recent "everyone can take out 10s of thousands in credit card debt" trends, there are always going to be people who need to declare bankruptcy, and there are always creditors trying to collect.

Besides, the life-cycle of many bankruptcies (especially the complex ones) can tide lawyers over during the extremely good economic times when fewer people are filing.

[motiontodismiss]

Besides, the life-cycle of many bankruptcies (especially the complex ones) can tide lawyers over during the extremely good economic times when fewer people are filing.

I forgot that part. The UAL bankruptcy lasted 4 years. And there is no shortage of incompetent CEOs that will run their companies into the ground.

[270910]

Isn't bankruptcy always countercyclical? Companies and people tend to declare bankruptcy when the economy goes into the toilet.

I would think the best way to achieve job security AND high pay is to diversify. 1 cyclical practice, 1 countercyclical, and 1 noncyclical.

Fairly naive. First, 'bankruptcy is counter-cyclical' is a cliche that has proven to be far from perfectly and uniformly true in recent times. Second, you can't really neatly classify every legal specialty as cyclical, countercyclical, or noncyclical - largely because they're all just 'more or less cyclical'. Finally, your average attorney capable of making the big bucks and being affected by corporations financial outlook is going to be highly specialized and working with a single practice area, you don't really have the ability to 'diversify' nor would doing so somehow get you more pay given the salaried nature of big firm lawyers.

[LegalGENius]

Health Law, anyone? It's not always well represented at BigLaw firms, but it's associated with a huge (and growing) swath of the economy, facing more government involvement, and looking at an increasingly geriatric population. I'd say it's fairly recession proof, as well.

I have asked many practicing attorneys about this, and I have been told to stay far away. I guess, at present, they were trying to say the healthcare industry is going through some SERIOUS changes and it would be best to let the dust settle (however long that may take.)

[merichard87]

I understand this and think that the solo practioner was completely right (people do need those things, regardless of the economic outlook). But, I am not interested in going that solo route...it's way to difficult and not a lot of solo people make a decent living.

On the otherhand, I personally know some that do (solo) and they are strictly personal injury (aka ambulance chasers). They do extremely well. Personal injury doesn't excite me in the least bit--even with the money. Criminal defense and all the rest of the stuff is not that exciting to me either--I have seen the majority of the clients that they see: most of them are scum bags and low-lives. Most are lower-class people.

I know that some my find these comments to be mean, but I am calling it like I see it. I will not apologize either.

Recently a solo practitioner was a guest lecturer at my school, and after the lecture I asked him a similar question (the context of course was for solo practice or work in a small/boutique firm). He answered stating that general litigation areas are the most reliable. Personal injury, workers compensation, breach of contract, divorces, and criminal defense are always reliable areas that get money in the door regardless of how the economy is. He said that no matter how bad things get people are always suing each other and committing crime.

Last time I checked all money was green. Lower-class person handing it to you or not.

[motiontodismiss]

Last time I checked all money was green. Lower-class person handing it to you or not.

Lower class people have fewer assets to attach if they don't pay their legal bills.

[too old for this sh*]

Last time I checked all money was green. Lower-class person handing it to you or not.

Lower class people have fewer assets to attach if they don't pay their legal bills.

Many of those I know practicing in the realm of defense require all fees to be paid prior to trial...and we won't touch a writ case without substantial payment at the time of engagement.

[rando]

Last time I checked all money was green. Lower-class person handing it to you or not.

Lower class people have fewer assets to attach if they don't pay their legal bills.

Defense lawyers etc. who don't get payed by the "lower class" do not (generally) attach assets. It is a cost of doing business that is factored into their work.