The National Jurist recently looked at job trends and predictions for the future job prospects for lawyers. Based in part on the analysis of expert Richard Hermann, a writer who looks at career outlooks in the legal industry and teaches at Concord Law School, The National Jurist listed 12 areas of law that are expected to be “hot” during the next ten years, or more. The list was broken down into three categories: super-hot, hot and somewhat hot. It should be noted that Hermann and other experts advise that while prospects are good in these areas, law students should focus on areas of law they are passionate about rather than job seeking in an area because it might be lucrative. In addition, the experts agree that the key to obtaining a job is experience and they advise getting as much practical externship experience as possible.
Today we will look at the list of the super-hot legal fields:
A few weeks ago, we reported that the all signs point to the need for attorneys who have expertise in health care law, and this is echoed in the National Jurist article. This area of law covers many legal issues such as investment in the health care industry, policy review in the government and advocacy for health workers and patients. In addition, the expectation is that under “Obamacare” demand for legal experts who can negotiate the new regulations and their effect will be increasing. Overall the health care field is one of the fastest growing occupations and as the field increases so will the need for lawyers. In addition, as the population ages, there will be an increasing need for attorneys versed in elder law which includes areas such as estates, elder abuse, long term care and medical needs.
Administrative law is another legal area predicted to be super-hot. Again reflecting a population that is getting older, the expectation is that attorneys will be in demand to represent clients in hearing over issues concerning Social Security, SSI and veterans’ benefits. As the population ages, over 10,000 people a year will reach retirement age and become eligible for Medicare. Sources indicate that over a billion Medicare claims are filed each year and according to experts, over 100,000 Medicare appeals were filed last year – with no opposing counsel and little travel required. These numbers are likely to go higher. Veteran benefits also raise legal issues that are adjudicated under the heading of administrative law. There are about 2 million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars applying for benefits and approximately 8 million Vietnam War veterans in their 60s and 70s. A great number of these vets apply for benefits and while some file on their own, experts will advise them to retain an attorney for administrative hearings.
Intellectual property law is another area that is considered to super-hot. Covering patents, trademarks and copyrights this area of law is of growing interest and is constantly evolving. Corporations, researchers, universities and the federal government all have interests in protecting intellectual property rights. Most people tend to think of intellectual property as an area covering music, movies and videos but this area of law has been applied to patents of DNA and other non-traditional “property”. In addition, changes to the rules on who can apply for a patent will increase the need for experts in this area.
There has always been the need for lawyers to deal with issues affecting families. Marriage, divorce and custody have raised legal issues for hundreds of years. With the growth of non-traditional families, comes the growth in the need for attorneys with an expertise in family law as these issues become more complex. As more states approve gay marriage, there will be increased issues for lawyers to deal with. An example cited in the article is of a gay couple splitting up after adopting a child of a sperm donor and a surrogate mother.
The job prospects for law students are beginning to look promising. We will cover the other legal fields next week.
