From time to time we speak with legal support professionals who are thinking of changing the area of law they work in.  They may be working in a solicitor practice and thinking of moving to a barrister practice - going from Commercial Litigation to Commercial Real Estate for example. 

While changing the area of law you work in can definitely assist in developing your career, especially if you move to an area that is in demand, today I wanted to highlight some of the benefits of specializing and developing your niche within one area of law.   

• You become an authority figure – When you specialize in one area of law, you are more likely to develop a sense of trust in the eyes of employers.

• Greater responsibility – Similarly, as you become more trusted and more knowledgeable in a certain area of law, firms will see you as more independent and capable of taking on more work.  This includes more complex work.  This in turn allows you to keep growing your skills and becoming even more knowledgeable. 

• There is increased opportunity for advancement – As your skills grow and you become more experienced, you will be able to move up the ranks and take or more senior level positions or even supervisory roles. 

• You become in high demand – As you become more specialized in an area of law, people will begin to want you more and more. They will want you to work for their firm and job opportunities will become more abundant and fruitful. 

• Higher compensation – As you become more skilled, independent, capable of handling more complex work and in demand, you will find that you will be offered higher pay with other incentives and remunerations.

• Job security – Ultimately the stronger your skills are in a certain area, the more difficult it will be for your firm to replace you.  Further, you will have other opportunities to fall back on. 

When you are thinking about changing areas of law, it is best to think about what your motivators are for doing so.  Knowing which areas of law are in demand and best to specialize in is also important to know. 

Thanks for reading!  If you would like to discuss further or weigh your career options, be sure to contact us. 

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!