I kind of get the feeling that when I ask this question many of you will scoff but here goes nothing. Can anyone give any details about family Law and is it a specialty that one can actually make $$$? Also, what schools would be recommend for such a specialty? I would like to live in California if at all possible. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Future Lawyer

1) One can (eventually) make a very good living practicing "family law." But as with any practice area, money should NOT be your primary, or even secondary, reason for going to law school.

2) Any decent law school will offer a basic family law class. The best school to attend for it: the one from which you will graduate with the least student loan debt. That's crucial, as you'll start out by either (i) working at a small firm that will pay you next to nothing (though you'll be getting valuable experience), or (ii) hanging your own shingle right away (thus paying your own overhead). Either way, it will be very challenging at first to make any money, which means that you can't graduate with the now typical $100k+ law school debt.

Assuming that either (i) you don't have to pay for law school yourself or (ii) you actually score so highly on the LSAT (and have good college grades) that you can get nearly full scholarships at certain schools, then perhaps consider schools that have clinics in something "family law" related (e.g., Emory has a child advocacy clinic). Otherwise, as with any practice area, one should simply attend the highest ranked school possible (bearing in mind the debt caveat noted above).

3) Bear in mind that, with very few exceptions, you will be practicing in what is arguably the most heart-wrenching area of law. Throughout the entire "family law life cycle," you'll be advocating and carrying-out actions that range from merely pessimistic or cynical (e.g., pre-nup's), to downright brutal (e.g., in a divorce, basically ruining the other spouse's life with public shame, financial ruin and, often most brutally of all, by pursuing harsh child support and custody measures). Families (i.e., spouses and children) don't need lawyers when things are going well.

Yes, spouses do terrible things and children are jeopardized, and thus need zealous legal representation. But do you think that you'll always be representing the "good side"? Do you think it will always be that black-and-white? You have to be o.k. with spending your professional life in that sort of environment (perhaps that's why I've heard the rumor that many such lawyers carry a firearm).

4) Good luck on that CA bar!

Thanks so much for the insight. As I look to varying schools money has become a greater issue because I see debt in the near future...of course after finishing law school. I just wanted to know if it would be worth the investment or should I possibly look to another specialty. Again I say, thanks for the advice.

Future Lawyer

Maybe you can take a look at Trusts & Estates. This practice area is available at large law firms, and you'll deal with high networth individuals who want to create a plan to pass on wealth and perhaps a family business to their children and charities. A large part of your job will be to structure the transfer of wealth in such a way as to minimize taxes.

I took your advice and looked at Trusts & Estates and it seems rather interesting. There seems to be many more schools offering Trusts & Estates as opposed to Family law. Thanks again...