Most law schools don't even offer special concentrations in specific areas of law, although they may offer several courses in the same subject giving you the chance to pursue an informal concentration.
For those of you considering focusing on one area of law, what follows are five questions to consider before diving into a specialty during law school.
1. Why are you choosing this area of law?
Analyze carefully your reasons for pursuing a specialty. Is it because you think you'll make a lot of money? Is it because it's what a family member does and you feel pressured to do the same?
When choosing your career path, there are many factors to consider, but assuming you'll make a lot of money or please your parents should be quite low on the list; there's just no guarantee that either of those will happen anyway, so you might as well pursue a career you'll actually enjoy.
2. Have you spoken to people who practice in that field?
You may have a completely different idea of what daily practice in a particular area of law is like; you should meet with attorneys in that field, perhaps even work in a law office part-time, while you decide whether that specialty is for you.
If you're already in law school, your career planning office may be able to match you up with an alumnus or alumna who works in that specialty, even if it's just for a meeting over coffee.
3. What is the job outlook for that area of law?
Make sure you consider what the job market might look like for you when you graduate (which may not be the same as it looks now). Is it a growing field that will require more attorneys or is it reaching its peak? Will you have connections in that field that will help you secure employment?
4. Can you gain experience through a clinic or work experience?
While acquiring a lot of knowledge in one area of law can be helpful, employers tend to prefer job candidates who have had real-life or at least clinical experience in that area of law. You can learn a lot of law on the job, but there's no substitute for actual experience, so try to focus on gaining that as much as possible.
Also, in the meantime through a job, you may realize that field isn't for you -- but you won't have wasted valuable class time on learning that.
5. How sure are you that you want to pursue that area of law?
Once you've analyzed all of your reasons for pursuing a specialty, consider how sure you are that you want to follow that path. As most lawyers will tell you, much of what you will need to know to practice in a particular area of law, you will learn on the job, so there really isn't too much need to focus during law school.
If you have previous work experience on which you're basing your desire to pursue a particular aspect of law (for example, if you're a physician and want to pursue health care law), by all means, continue on your path.
Generally, though, law school is a great time to take advantage of renowned professors in various areas of law -- even some that you may not have even considered before. You may even find your true passion as you sample the different kinds of law out there, so going in without a narrow focus can actually work to your advantage.