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October 17, 2006
So You Are Interested in Practicing Labor & Employment Law?
The traditional practice of labor law focuses on the interactions between workers and employers, especially in a unionized setting. Employment law practice includes advocating the client's interest (whether the employee or employer) in cases where civil rights violations are alleged.
According to The Official Guide to Legal Specialties: An Insider’s Guide to Every Major Practice Area, by Lisa L. Abrams, J.D., the following skills are most important to labor & employment lawyers:
• Excellent writing skills
• Effective interpersonal communication skills
• Comfort working with difficult people
• Oral advocacy skills
• Tenacity
Labor & employment lawyers recommend that law students take the following classes and get the following types of experience if they want to pursue this area of law:
• Labor & employment classes
• Trial advocacy classes and moot court
• Undergraduate classes in speech and communication
• Law journals & other writing competitions
• Intern/clerk in the field
• Work as a judicial law clerk or extern
• Participate in bar association activities with the labor & employment law section
• Join any related student groups
• Keep up on relevant cases and issues
The Labor & Employment Law chapter of The Official Guide to Legal Specialties can be found on pages 291-305, and is available in our resource room!
Posted by asa13 at October 17, 2006 11:03 AM