I don’t think specialization at an early age is necessary. I think that if you try different areas of the law, it will make you a better lawyer. It will give you an overall understanding of the law that law school or specializing in one field alone cannot really provide us with in the beginning of our careers.

I think that it is correct to say that for most of us this will be a process of trial and error until we find what we are passionate about and good at. That process is important in and of itself. If we choose, we can at that point choose one or two areas to specialize in and gain the necessary experience to become an expert, which will make us a very valuable asset to our clients. I have to agree with John that passion for what we do, rather than just having a job, is the most important thing.

That said, there was an interesting article written on the history of specialization, and how it reflects how lawyers perceive themselves as professions: http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/sclr45&div=58&g_sent=1#1019

-- SuzanneSciarra - 30 Mar 2010