The legal profession is a much-coveted career around the world. As kids, you probably had the dream of being a lawyer, making court appearances, and defending a case before a judge. 

Sometimes the vision was borne out of the desire to protect the helpless, while other times, it is to work in big corporate law firms and earn enough to cater for a lifestyle. Either way, lawyers are the defender of the rule of law. They ensure the rule of law is supreme for a progressive society. 

Becoming a lawyer is not as rosy as the name sounds. It is a career path that involves overcoming many hurdles and obstacles. In the United States, the minimum number of years to get a law degree is seven years of full-time study - four years of undergraduate study followed by three years in a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, with internships and work experiences taken between this period.

There are diverse career options in law practice. Criminal law solely focuses on understanding the essentials of criminality, providing legal representation to suspects prosecuted with criminal charges or as a public prosecutor to determine penalties for crimes. They typically involve corporate lawyers in the business of law. They provide legal service to corporate firms and organizations on taxes, commercial transactions, and other legal responsibilities. If you ever dream of becoming a lawyer, check out the options below to choose from a pool of career paths available to you. 

Medical Lawyer

This legal profession is where you specialize in regulations of healthcare policies, responsibilities of medical practitioners, and patients' rights. Medical lawyers handle medical lawsuits and malpractices like insurance, personal injury, contracts. If you dream of becoming a lawyer, you can follow in the footsteps of the legal juggernaut, attorney Kathy Snapka - he focuses on medical negligence litigation, helping patients demand compensations in the event of surgical or medications error, negligent hospital care, misdiagnosis, and forms of medical malpractices. 

Corporate Lawyer

They safeguard the legality of commercial transactions of their clients, such as firms, companies, and corporate institutions in areas of tax, intellectual properties, and corporate governance. It is a rewarding legal profession with the opportunity to work with top-notch organizations providing legal and advisory services.

According to Varun Sharma, chairperson, MVN University, "After the globalization of trade and economy, corporate law has become one of the most sought-after career options for today's youth both in-house counsel and in law firms." To be a corporate lawyer, possess excellent communication, research skills, critical thinking, and excellent business awareness, and maintain client confidentiality. 

Criminal Defense Lawyer

Being a criminal lawyer means being committed to the defense of suspects accused with criminal charges and criminal investigation. It is one of the challenging but exciting specializations in law. 

The work of criminal lawyers is equally vital in the administration of justice in society, from finding the accused guilty and pronouncing the judgment for the offense. Becoming a criminal lawyer means taking courses like mental health law, prosecutorial ethics, trial practice, and work experience in law school clinics and summer programs between studies.  

Immigration Lawyer 

Immigration lawyers specialize in providing legal help to their clients on their rights and obligations regarding immigration from one country to another one. It is a career path that deals with issues around gaining legal citizenship in a particular country or recognition of refugee status of immigrants and the influx of people around borders of neighboring countries. 

Immigration lawyers work in government agencies such as the immigration department and private firms that provide representation to people with issues regarding their citizenship. 

Entertainment Lawyer

When you think of musical artists, athletes, entertainers, prominent media moguls, and creative companies, entertainment lawyers manage them with specialization in entertainment and media. Their expertise helps protect the intellectual properties of their clients, understand the intricacies of their contracts' negotiation, represent them in court in case of dispute and act as a liaison between their client and third parties. 

The evolution of the internet and media has made entertainment law more prominent as creatives try to avoid legal embattlement with their record label and get a deserved share of their revenue. 

Entertainment lawyers require more experience to function effectively in their industry, more than in other areas of law. 

The legal field remains a noble profession and is crucial to enacting law and order in society. If you still dream of becoming a lawyer, there are diverse areas to specialize in, depending on your interest. So what is your choice?