Academic

Advice I Wouldn't Give Most Law Students

By Dan Filler

The WSJ  had an interesting essay by Nathan Koppel the other day about whether folks should hide from this dreadful economy by attending law school.  The author's verdict: maybe.  (And this suggests that - at the last minute - lots of folks are taking cover.)  Koppel recommends that applicants should shoot for an elite school.  But he notes that graduates of almost any law school can have great recruiting experiences, if they work hard and do very well in class.  All of this seems right to me.  In the midst of  his very sensible ideas,  he adds this tip for students looking to be strategic in their law school experience:

Once in school, law students should take classes in legal specialties that are poised for growth, such as intellectual-property law and international arbitration, which often is used to resolve cross-border business disputes.

I've got nothing against taking international law courses, and I certainly recognize they're in vogue, but is it correct that these areas of practice are about to explode - creating tons of law jobs?    And I fear that the jobs that do develop will mostly go to the folks who would to score the $160K job in New York anyway.   But for the strategic student, the one who might not have the elite school or sterling transcript to land a top firm job but seeks a market edge...would you tell him or her to pursue international arbitration?  Maybe, if they're fluent in German or Chinese.   Otherwise: figure out how to win in litigation, write a will, or start a business.    Medical malpractice, real estate transactions, complex litigation, trusts and estates, bus orgs, crim pro - now there's some useful stuff! 

And hold off on converting to Euros.  You're probably going to be spending most of your time in Kansas City and Houston, rather than Munich or Bruges... 

Full post as published by The Faculty Lounge on March 26, 2009 (boomark / email).