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Areas of law besides being an attorney/barrister or whatever? (1 Viewer)

MollieH

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What different areas are there in law?
I'm in a weird situation. I'm really interested in law and would love to work in law somehow but I know that I don't have the personality and ability to be a lawyer, you know, like someone who goes to court and argues and stuff. I just couldn't do that, even though I'd love to be able to. So any other areas of law I would love to find out more about, something that doesn't require debating type skills. I enjoy helping people and learning about the law is fun for me, so... any ideas? :)
 

enoilgam

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One of the biggest misconceptions with Law is that Law requires good debating skills or whatever. Most lawyers hardly ever have to argue a case in court - that's mostly a task for barristers. Most Lawyers do work like liaising with clients, conveyancing, dealing with contracts etc.
 

Spiritual Being

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One of the biggest misconceptions with Law is that Law requires good debating skills or whatever. Most lawyers hardly ever have to argue a case in court - that's mostly a task for barristers. Most Lawyers do work like liaising with clients, conveyancing, dealing with contracts etc.
It's probably because it's the only thing that inundates the media, tv series, movies etc...

There's always a rich lawyer involved that leads a superhero life, winning cases left, right and center - and is also currently in the limelight. Oh, if only it corresponded in reality. LOL.
 

enoilgam

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It's probably because it's the only thing that inundates the media, tv series, movies etc...
Pretty much - most people think it is all like the Good Wife, or Law and Order etc. When some people hear you're doing law they say "does that mean you will have to defend criminals?". It's like, that is one very small part of Law, which not many lawyers do.
 

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Pretty much - most people think it is all like the Good Wife, or Law and Order etc. When some people hear you're doing law they say "does that mean you will have to defend criminals?". It's like, that is one very small part of Law, which not many lawyers do.
Haha.

I always get this.

"What, so you're saying you want to enter into a job where you defend guilty people?!"

Yes, because such a statement has inherent contradiction - if he was guilty, he's guilty, gone and I don't defend him. If he's not guilty, then he has a legal right to adequate defence.

Criminal law looks very arduous and consuming, though.
 

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Pretty much - most people think it is all like the Good Wife, or Law and Order etc. When some people hear you're doing law they say "does that mean you will have to defend criminals?". It's like, that is one very small part of Law, which not many lawyers do.
The first time I told my girlfriend's grandparents' Church community that I aspire to be a lawyer they all out right questioned my morality and whether someone willing to defend criminals is worthy of dating her. The shock they had when I said there are other areas of Law was amazing, but now they think I'm a very informed individual who is going places hahahaha.

And OP, don't short-write yourself just because you don't feel like you have the proper "debating skills". Besides the fact that it's not entirely 100% crucial to be a lawyer, it's still a skill you can easily pick up and learn through practise by joining the debating society at uni and taking extra curricular stuff like mock trial, mooting, and cross examination as part of your law students' society.
 

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