Constitutional Law Forum

[90LawSchool]

As part of my undergrad requirements, I took a Constitutional Law course which was very interesting to me. I am seriously considering a specialization/concentration (I don't know which would be the correct term) in Constitutional Law. What sort of job opportunities would I have after law school if I practiced Constitutional Law?

The other area of law that I would be interested in is appellate law. Would practicing appellate law be possible with a concentration in Con Law? Can you get a job in appellate law out of law school?

Thank you in advance!

[dakatz]

There really is none. Maybe some tiny fraction of 1% of lawyers actually argue constitutional issues. Its more of a classroom/philosophical thing rather than a real world practice. I'd switch up my goals if I were you.

[InLikeFlint]

As part of my undergrad requirements, I took a Constitutional Law course which was very interesting to me. I am seriously considering a specialization/concentration (I don't know which would be the correct term) in Constitutional Law. What sort of job opportunities would I have after law school if I practiced Constitutional Law?

The other area of law that I would be interested in is appellate law. Would practicing appellate law be possible with a concentration in Con Law? Can you get a job in appellate law out of law school?

Thank you in advance!

There are a decent number of entry level jobs in international con law. Somewhat competitive, but by no means impossible to land.

[romothesavior]

There are a decent number of entry level jobs in international con law. Somewhat competitive, but by no means impossible to land.

Tell me what those are.

As part of my undergrad requirements, I took a Constitutional Law course which was very interesting to me. I am seriously considering a specialization/concentration (I don't know which would be the correct term) in Constitutional Law. What sort of job opportunities would I have after law school if I practiced Constitutional Law?

The other area of law that I would be interested in is appellate law. Would practicing appellate law be possible with a concentration in Con Law? Can you get a job in appellate law out of law school?

Thank you in advance!

You have a lot of research to do about what practicing law is like. There aren't really "concentrations" in law school; it isn't like choosing a major. Sure, you can take some classes to make yourself more marketable, but you don't come out of law school and just say "I'm a constitutional lawyer!" The primary division is litigation/transactional (if you go private). The number of lawyers who do work like what you seem to be interested in is very, very tiny. What do you mean when you say "constitutional law?"

But the practice of law is nothing like what you are taking in undergrad. Not even remotely similar.

[bjsesq]

There are a decent number of entry level jobs in international con law. Somewhat competitive, but by no means impossible to land.

Tell me what those are.

This.

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

OP, getting into the con law field is not that difficult. Just go to Harvard in the 70's and i'm sure something'll come up.

[Kiersten1985]

OP, getting into the con law field is not that difficult. Just go to Harvard in the 70's and i'm sure something'll come up.

Love it.

[90LawSchool]

Well thanks for your replies. It seems that I wasn't very clear in my original post and that it is very difficult to get a job dealing with Constitutional Law.

I do understand that an undergrad Constitutional Law class would be very different from a class in law school but I just really enjoyed the material we covered.

So I guess my other question would be is it possible to practice as a appellate attorney out of law school or is this also out of the question?

[romothesavior]

So I guess my other question would be is it possible to practice as a appellate attorney out of law school or is this also out of the question?

Most lawyers practicing at the appellate level are experienced lawyers at government agencies (like the Attorney General) or private firms. In either case, you are going to have to pay your dues and put in a lot of time before you get to try a case at that level. I guess I'm still not sure exactly what you're looking to do, but I think it is pretty clear you need to talk to some lawyers and hang around TLS some more to get a better idea of what you want.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

Well thanks for your replies. It seems that I wasn't very clear in my original post and that it is very difficult to get a job dealing with Constitutional Law.

I do understand that an undergrad Constitutional Law class would be very different from a class in law school but I just really enjoyed the material we covered.
So I guess my other question would be is it possible to practice as a appellate attorney out of law school or is this also out of the question?

I would assume one of the typical ways would be: Go to a high ranked school, get great grades, get on LR, build good relationships with professors, and try to get a COA clerkship, and then go to a biglaw firm that does a lot of appellate work. That or work your way up at the biglaw firm that you're at. Either way, it seems like a difficult thing to accomplish. I'm really just throwing out guesses here though.

[2011Law]

OP, getting into the con law field is not that difficult. Just go to Harvard in the 70's and i'm sure something'll come up.

Love it.

+1

[JusticeHarlan]

Well thanks for your replies. It seems that I wasn't very clear in my original post and that it is very difficult to get a job dealing with Constitutional Law.

I do understand that an undergrad Constitutional Law class would be very different from a class in law school but I just really enjoyed the material we covered.
So I guess my other question would be is it possible to practice as a appellate attorney out of law school or is this also out of the question?

I would assume one of the typical ways would be: Go to a high ranked school, get great grades, get on LR, build good relationships with professors, and try to get a COA clerkship, and then go to a biglaw firm that does a lot of appellate work. That or work your way up at the biglaw firm that you're at. Either way, it seems like a difficult thing to accomplish. I'm really just throwing out guesses here though.

I know someone just out of law school (class of 2010) doing appellate work for a district attorneys office; again, the exception rather than the rule (he had the grades to summer at biglaw), but something to look into.

[vamedic03]

There really is none. Maybe some tiny fraction of 1% of lawyers actually argue constitutional issues. Its more of a classroom/philosophical thing rather than a real world practice. I'd switch up my goals if I were you.

Not to be a smart ass, but virtually every prosecutor/criminal defense attorney will argue constitutional issues on a weekly, if not daily basis. Generally the basis of every motion to suppress is a 4th amendment violation.

[johnnyutah]

So I guess my other question would be is it possible to practice as a appellate attorney out of law school or is this also out of the question?

Most lawyers practicing at the appellate level are experienced lawyers at government agencies (like the Attorney General) or private firms. In either case, you are going to have to pay your dues and put in a lot of time before you get to try a case at that level. I guess I'm still not sure exactly what you're looking to do, but I think it is pretty clear you need to talk to some lawyers and hang around TLS some more to get a better idea of what you want.

This is mostly true, but it can be possible to do appellate work right away if you're willing to work for a public defender's appellate division in a rural or generally undesirable area.

[nealric]

Not to be a smart ass, but virtually every prosecutor/criminal defense attorney will argue constitutional issues on a weekly, if not daily basis. Generally the basis of every motion to suppress is a 4th amendment violation.

Sure, but that's not what 0L's usually think of when they discuss wanting to practice constitutional law. For all practical purposes, constitutional law as most 0Ls envision it does not exist or is limited to an extremely tiny handful of practitioners with elite credentials.

[Grizz]

Not to be a smart ass, but virtually every prosecutor/criminal defense attorney will argue constitutional issues on a weekly, if not daily basis. Generally the basis of every motion to suppress is a 4th amendment violation.

Sure, but that's not what 0L's usually think of when they discuss wanting to practice constitutional law. For all practical purposes, constitutional law as most 0Ls envision it does not exist or is limited to an extremely tiny handful of practitioners with elite credentials.

THIS. People want to argue about gay marriage, not Terry stops.

There are a decent number of entry level jobs in international con law. Somewhat competitive, but by no means impossible to land.

lololololololololololol I hope you trollin dog

[romothesavior]

Not to be a smart ass, but virtually every prosecutor/criminal defense attorney will argue constitutional issues on a weekly, if not daily basis. Generally the basis of every motion to suppress is a 4th amendment violation.

Sure, but that's not what 0L's usually think of when they discuss wanting to practice constitutional law. For all practical purposes, constitutional law as most 0Ls envision it does not exist or is limited to an extremely tiny handful of practitioners with elite credentials.

I almost applied to a firm that claime to specialized in con law. Then I looked at the schools their lawyers went to (Harvard, Yale, Chicago, Harvard, Chicago, Michigan, Harvard, Chicago, Yale, Chicago, Columbia, etc. etc.). I then lol'd at myself for being such an idiot, and went back to applying to the Bumfuck County State's Attorney's office.

[lawloser22]

OP, Please watch this. You'll see why about 30 seconds in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMvARy0lBLE

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

OP, Please watch this. You'll see why about 30 seconds in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMvARy0lBLE

Hey bro, I covered that base about 2 days ago.

[kalvano]

Not to be a smart ass, but virtually every prosecutor/criminal defense attorney will argue constitutional issues on a weekly, if not daily basis. Generally the basis of every motion to suppress is a 4th amendment violation.

Sure, but that's not what 0L's usually think of when they discuss wanting to practice constitutional law. For all practical purposes, constitutional law as most 0Ls envision it does not exist or is limited to an extremely tiny handful of practitioners with elite credentials.

I almost applied to a firm that claime to specialized in con law. Then I looked at the schools their lawyers went to (Harvard, Yale, Chicago, Harvard, Chicago, Michigan, Harvard, Chicago, Yale, Chicago, Columbia, etc. etc.). I then lol'd at myself for being such an idiot, and went back to applying to the Bumfuck County State's Attorney's office.

Sounds like they need diversity.