Type of Law and Lawyer

Comparative Law A lawyer who chooses this specialty must have a good working knowledge of the laws, society, and government of at least one country other than the United States. This usually means that the lawyer has attended both college and law school in the United States as well as a formal educational institution in the foreign country with whose affairs s/he will eventually work. The comparative lawyer works with international relations in trade and commerce, travel, government business, and many other areas depending upon the breadth of his/her knowledge and the needs of his/her employer. The field of comparative law is one in which there is a great deal of opportunity for advancement and challenging work. Comparative lawyers may find their employment with business firms, with government organizations, or with any person or group which deals with countries other than the United States.

Environmental Law One of the newest entries in the legal world, environmental law requires a concern for the nation's resources, knowledge of where the resources are, what they are used for, how and why they may be endangered or exploited, and whose job it is to protect them. Environmental lawyers may work alone or in and for groups whose job it is to prosecute offenders and remedy the offending situation. On the other side of the coin, environmental lawyers may represent the "offenders" to prove why the exploitation is not bad or is not what it seems to be. Finally, they may mediate between concerned groups and help generate arrangements which will benefit the country, the consumers, and the corporation.

Patent Law Patent Law is the only legal specialty officially recognized by the American Bar Association. It is also one of the few areas of legal practice which requires a specific educational background usually in the natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering. This background is required because the work a patent lawyer does is to see that no one has already patented a client's idea and that no one "borrows" the client's idea after it has been patented. To do this the lawyer must thoroughly understand the client's idea and be able to ascertain whether differences occur in similar ideas or if, indeed, the idea has already been used or is being "borrowed". Patent lawyers are usually employed by large firms whose research teams may constantly be coming up with new ideas to be protected, or by large law firms where they handle individual clients and companies who seek the advice of the lawyer. Sometimes patent lawyers enter private practice and work as representatives to individuals and companies.