Top Practice Areas for New Lawyers in 2023

Trends in the legal profession change every few years. A generation ago, large numbers of students gravitated to environmental niches in droves. Today, things are different. Apparently, diligent young minds have switched gears and taken up more practical and traditional pursuits. Maybe the horrible economy is putting the fear of God into their hearts and leading them toward more reliable ways of earning a living. Practice areas like divorce, vehicle accidents, criminal defense, medical malpractice, and prosecution have replaced short-term fascinations with global warming and workplace harassment. Consider the following subjects that currently occupy the top fields of interest for law students.

Divorce

It’s unfortunate but relationships do not last forever. That undeniable fact has propelled the divorce niche to near the top of the favorite subcategories of the legal profession. While most divorce specialists don’t earn as much as those who select fields like patents, corporate mergers, or criminal-related work, new graduates can usually find divorce work and acquire real-world experience while they prepare for greener pastures. Some of the nation’s top legal minds did time as divorce attorneys immediately after passing the bar exam.

Accidents Involving Commercial Vehicles

Truck and other large vehicle accidents are a high-dollar segment of the profession. In a typical American city like Indianapolis, Indiana, truck accident lawyers are in demand. In that city and many others, those who need expert assistance after colliding with a box, semi, or any type of commercial truck can find firms that specialize and handle hundreds of cases per year. On Indiana’s highways and city streets, it’s an unfortunate fact that truck mishaps and crashes are the main cause of numerous fatalities and injuries.

Whether a commercial vehicle operator is driving in an unsafe way on purpose or being negligent behind the wheel, the results can be massively detrimental for anyone who is a victim of an accident. While many collisions are preventable, it’s still important to get compensation for the injured. It happens that transport companies don’t give their drivers enough rest or fail to maintain the vehicles as they should.

Criminal Defense

Public defense and firm-based criminal defense work have always been a favorite of new graduates. Partly because of the glamorous image portrayed on TV and in movies, young professionals view the field as exciting, financially rewarding, and prestigious. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities for freshly minted graduates to find entry-level jobs. In most cities, the public defender’s office welcomes new talent on a regular basis. Likewise, firms of all sizes that specialize in criminal defense are always on the lookout for hard-working, ambitious young lawyers.

Medical Malpractice

One of the fastest-growing areas for graduates is medical malpractice. While it takes several years to move up the ladder at better medical malpractice firms, new hires who put in the hours and are willing to learn the trade can carve out a rewarding niche for themselves in the profession. With the growth of big pharma and the entire healthcare sector, it’s likely that there will continue to be opportunities in the medical malpractice category for those who find working with the healthcare sector an interesting choice.