Expert: Bryan Chant, Esq. - 7/22/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi, my name is Bret. I am interested in becoming a lawyer and am aware that there are many different types. I recently checked out some info on a few and what they do and found the most appealing to be corporate lawyer.

I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about some/all of the types of law (depending on how many there are)

Also I plan on being on the cross country/track and field team at the school I decide to attend. Would I have enough time to juggle the athletics, school work necessary for a to be lawyer, and a social life? I'm not sure if you can answer this question I would probably need to talk to the coach.

And lastly what should I major/minor in if I were to be a lawyer? Does it depend on the type of law I go into? If so what should I major/minor in if I was to become a corporate lawyer

ANSWER: Hi Bret,

You are right that there are many different types of law and probably too many to list.   You might consider looking at the American Bar Association for ideas.

Very generally, there are transactional lawyers (e.g.  people who put deals together) and litigation attorneys (the ones who raise disputes).    I work exclusively in litigation.  Corporate law is generally considered a transactional field although there are many attorneys litigating corporate issues.

Law schools look for well balanced applicants so participating in sports would be a good thing.  That being said, undergraduate grades and LSAT scores are a must to be a competitive applicant.

Law students' majors vary greatly.  A typical 1L section might have students with  political science, English, philosophy, science, and engineering undergraduates.  You might even find a few physicians, police officers, and dentists in your section.  Simply put, your undergraduate degree will probably not dictate what type of law you practice unless you are planning to work in patent prosecution.

In the interim, I would strongly recommend getting in touch with a few of the local law schools' admissions office.  It really is never too early.

Good luck!



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you very much, this helped a lot. However, if I did go into patent prosecution, what major would you advise?

Answer
Patent prosecution requires a "hard" science background such as biology, chemistry, physics, or engineering.  The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) lists majors that they will accept to be admitted to practice before their agency.  I would check out www.uspto.gov.