I worked in patent prosecution after college. After almost two years on the job, I grow increasingly sure that I’m bored. I’m still psychologically OK with the job, but with law school coming up in the fall, I’m reevaluating practice areas when I become a lawyer for real.
I am motivated primarily by using my brain in novel contexts: new problems to solve, new information gained, adding to my repertoire of skills or experience. Part of the reason I was drawn to law, personality-fit wise, is that I enjoy reading and writing about history, philosophy, political science, and to the extent I understand them, legal issues. However, I will grow bored of a topic when my brain think that it has exhausted all the possibilities in the issue. I found out about this motivational challenge on the job because the only time I was interested in work was the 5% of my day spent talking to inventors about new concepts. The rest of the job is 30+ hours of slogging through drafting an application.
I would love to find a practice area where I am intrinsically motivated by the intellectual stimulation, and look forward to working. If I could bill time for tackling new challenges each day or week, or even better-learning new information to explore a new nook or cranny, I think I would genuinely love working. The feeling of building up my legal expertise would, I think, make the hours worthwhile to me. I understand that junior associates in many practices find their roles boring, but looking past the first 3 years or so I’m hopeful the work becomes more engaging or challenging. If that’s a myth please help me dispel it.
I’m eyeing a few practice areas: IP litigation, Tech transactions, Fund formation, and possibly Tax. Sidenote: I unfortunately got no opportunity to work in litigation in my current role. Attorneys seem uninterested in using someone who does not actually know how to lawyer.
Could people advise as to what seems like a good fit for my interests? Appreciate it!
Seeking advice on practice area choice Forum
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Leojames26
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2024 4:49 am
Re: Seeking advice on practice area choice
Hey, I totally get where you're coming from. It sounds like you’re really trying to find that sweet spot between intellectual stimulation and a fulfilling career, which is super important, especially with law school on the horizon.
From what you've said, it seems like you’re drawn to areas where you can keep learning and encountering new challenges. Based on that, IP Litigation might be right up your alley. You mentioned you enjoyed talking with inventors—that’s a big part of IP litigation, but with the added excitement of crafting arguments and strategizing in court. It’s definitely a field where the learning curve never really ends, which might keep you from getting bored.
Tech Transactions is another area that could be a good fit if you like staying at the forefront of new developments. This field is all about negotiation and problem-solving in a tech context, so if you enjoy the business side of things, this might give you that mix of new challenges and intellectual engagement.
On the other hand, Fund Formation and Tax law could seem less dynamic on the surface, but they both offer a lot of depth if you’re into diving deep into complex regulations or financial strategies. They might not give you that constant rush of new information, but they could still be satisfying if you like mastering intricate details and seeing the long-term impact of your work.
But, let's be real—like with any field, especially in the early years, there's going to be some less exciting, routine work involved. It’s great that you’re thinking ahead because, after those first few years, you might find the work becomes more aligned with what really gets you going intellectually.
Honestly, it might be a good idea to get some hands-on experience in these areas during law school to see what actually clicks for you. Don’t stress too much about locking into one thing right now—you’ve got time to explore and pivot if needed. And hey, it’s all part of the journey to finding what’s going to keep you engaged and excited in the long run. Best of luck!
From what you've said, it seems like you’re drawn to areas where you can keep learning and encountering new challenges. Based on that, IP Litigation might be right up your alley. You mentioned you enjoyed talking with inventors—that’s a big part of IP litigation, but with the added excitement of crafting arguments and strategizing in court. It’s definitely a field where the learning curve never really ends, which might keep you from getting bored.
Tech Transactions is another area that could be a good fit if you like staying at the forefront of new developments. This field is all about negotiation and problem-solving in a tech context, so if you enjoy the business side of things, this might give you that mix of new challenges and intellectual engagement.
On the other hand, Fund Formation and Tax law could seem less dynamic on the surface, but they both offer a lot of depth if you’re into diving deep into complex regulations or financial strategies. They might not give you that constant rush of new information, but they could still be satisfying if you like mastering intricate details and seeing the long-term impact of your work.
But, let's be real—like with any field, especially in the early years, there's going to be some less exciting, routine work involved. It’s great that you’re thinking ahead because, after those first few years, you might find the work becomes more aligned with what really gets you going intellectually.
Honestly, it might be a good idea to get some hands-on experience in these areas during law school to see what actually clicks for you. Don’t stress too much about locking into one thing right now—you’ve got time to explore and pivot if needed. And hey, it’s all part of the journey to finding what’s going to keep you engaged and excited in the long run. Best of luck!
