How important are law school concentrations? Forum

[gopats]

How important are law school concentrations? i really want to go into immigration law, so naturally I am thinking about the immigration concentration. But if things don't work out, will I be looked down upon for applying for my job outside of my law school
concentration?

[alexb240]

I think this can only hurt you. If you truly want to do immigration law, more power to you. But you'll be fine if you show relevant clinical/summer work (assuming you want to be a practitioner) or scholarship (if you want to go into policy). If the place you're applying to is even aware that your school offers a concentration (doubtful), you can explain it away with some handwaving about wanting to have a broad and diverse education. And, frankly, immigration law is a slog. The chances you'll change your mind (or the market will change it for you) are not insubstantial. If you're stuck with an immigration concentration whilst applying for corporate litigation jobs, that's a tough sell. I don't see the upside.

[gopats]

Thanks!

[GJWheeler]

I've never even heard of a law school concentration. If it isn't relevant to whatever you're applying for, just don't mention it and no one will care.


In other words, they aren't important at all and no litigator will care if you concentrated in Immigration of Syrians into New Mexico.

[reasonable_man]

Have no fear Op. Attorneys are well aware of the fact that no one learns anything of value in law school from professors that have practices law for about 6 minutes before returning to law school (a place real lawyers view as a stop-over, not a home for life). Concentrate in whatever you want and just have a few generic lit and/or corp classes mixed in their for the hell of it.