Law Students Have Time to Select Specialty Fields, Says Chicago’s John Marshall Law School Associate Dean
(PRWEB) July 08, 2013 -- If students about to enter law school haven’t yet decided on a specialty, there’s no need to worry, says John Marshall Law School Associate Dean Margaret O’Mara Frossard, a retired appellate court justice.
Frossard, who is the law school’s associate dean for Professionalism and Career Strategy, says she encourages students who are undecided to identify two or three areas of law that they would like to consider as potential specialties. Once the law student has listed some possibilities, the networking and exploration can begin.
The key, says Frossard, is to get involved and take advantage of opportunities for experiential learning; students should try areas of law that might interest them for a career. At John Marshall, students can get hands-on experience working under the supervision of practicing attorneys, for example, at the Fair Housing Legal Support Center and Clinic, or the Veterans Legal Support Center and Clinic.
Internships, externships and even pro bono work can be valuable in helping law students to decide on a specialty. And sometimes, finding out what you don’t want to do can be as valuable as finding the best fit for your interests, she said.
With a specialty in mind, Frossard encourages students to continue to pursue the experiential learning opportunities. That’s what can make students practice-ready attorneys.
Judge Frossard blogs on this and other topics at professionalism.jmls.edu.
About The John Marshall Law School
The John Marshall Law School, founded in 1899, is an independent law school located in the heart of Chicago’s legal, financial and commercial districts. Through classes, clinics and special programs, students develop the strategic, analytical and transactional lawyering skills that are so valuable to employers. Its excellent curriculum, coupled with outstanding skills and experiential learning, help make John Marshall graduates practice-ready from day one. For practicing attorneys, John Marshall offers nine LLM degrees, more than any other law school in the Midwest. John Marshall is also a leader in providing distance education options in intellectual property, estate planning and employee benefits at the advanced graduate degree level. John Marshall offers six clinical experiences, including the nationally recognized Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic and the Fair Housing Legal Clinic. U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Graduate Schools 2014 edition ranks John Marshall’s Lawyering Skills Program second and its Intellectual Property Law program 12th in the nation.
Marilyn Thomas, The John Marshall Law School, 312-427-2737 661, [email protected]
Share this article