How Much Do Practice Areas Vary from State to State? A Guide for Attorneys Looking for the Best Markets for their Practice Area

Harrison Barnes

What practice areas have you considered getting into? Were they hot practice areas?

As a general rule, the most in demand practice area at all points in time is always litigation. Litigation is always occurring and this is the case at almost all points in time-regardless of the economy. One way I have always explained this to my candidates is that when the economy is good people have money to hire attorneys and sue and when the economy is bad people sue people to get money they lost when the economy was good. In all my years in this profession I have never seen litigation slow down. Law firms are always seeking litigators at most points in time and the demand is pretty incessant. Litigation is virtually always the busiest and ''hottest'' practice area in the following markets:

-MOST NON URBAN AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES
-MOST CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES BELOW 2,000,000 PEOPLE
-TEXAS (THE ENTIRE STATE)
-SEATTLE
-PORTLAND
-DETROIT
-CLEVELAND
-NEWARK
-CHICAGO
-WISCONSIN
-SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY, SAN DIEGO)
-MINNEAPOLIS

There are some small exceptions to these rules: (1) Minneapolis has a very active intellectual property and patent prosecution base and these practice areas are generally quite active there; (2) Chicago has strong intellectual property, real estate and corporate demands but these are quite steady; (3) Newark has a very consistent base of corporate work but litigation still dominates.

In fact, in most cities of the United States litigation simply dominates the hiring and is always ''hot?'' in some respects because there is always considerable demand for litigators. Beneath litigators in terms of demands is then generally corporate and other departments such as insurance, intellectual property, tax and so forth. For example, despite its reputation as the center of governmental activity in the United States, the most active practice area in the Washington, DC region is most generally not government contracts or some other government sounding practice area. The most active practice area is generally litigation-I mention Washington, DC because it is ''litigation with a twist'' compared to other markets.

Litigation is an active practice area in the Washington, DC area and is generally very active at most points in time. An important fact to understand about litigation is that attorneys who work in the litigation field can research, write about and interpret a great deal of policy and other information-and not just marching into court as litigators in smaller markets might do.



Below is a discussion of a few areas that continually have a good deal of activity in practice areas other than litigation.

NEW YORK CITY
New York City typically has the majority of work in the financial field due the heavy concentration of banks and other financial institutions in this market. Accordingly, at most points in time the corporate practice area would be considered the ''hot'' practice area here. While this differs from time to time this is generally consistent.

After the dot com bust and September 11^th, for example, there was noticeably less corporate work generally in New York City than there had been previously. Notwithstanding, as a proportion of work nationally compared to other practice areas New York stayed very busy. In addition, there is always a lot of corporate work in New York because there is so much financial work there-regardless of the state of the economy. New York City also continually has lots of work in the tax and insurance fields. In terms of hiring the most attorneys, the main and largest practice area is always corporate because it interrelates with so many other fields. A law student desiring to work in New York would be best suited pursuing corporate work.

Are you a law student that wants to work in New York? What makes you interested in doing so?

FLORIDA
Real estate has traditionally been the area where there is the most activity in Florida. Across most points in time there has been a strong demand for talented real estate attorneys in Florida. This is likely due to lots of speculative construction and the fact that seniors and others seem to be moving to this state in great droves. There is also a strong demand for litigators in Florida, however, this demand is always fairly constant and never has reached the fever pitch that the demand for real estate attorneys seems to be consistently at.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Due to its proximity to Silicon Valley, the hottest practice area at all points in time in Northern California tends to be intellectual property litigation and also patent prosecution. As the United States increasingly moves towards an information economy, companies put an increasing emphasis on ensuring they are doing everything possible to protect their intellectual property assets. Over the last several years the intellectual property-related practice areas have never really abated in terms of how busy they have been.

CHARLOTTE
Charlotte has been getting a very busy banking and corporate practice over the past several years and corporate and banking work has become increasingly important in this region. As this has occurred the demand for banking and corporate attorneys has remained ''hot''.

LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas simply cannot hire real estate attorneys fast enough. Despite its desert location this area has been demanding an increasingly large amount of real estate attorneys over the past several years. Even with the weakening of the housing market in Las Vegas and unsold condominiums and cancelled projects, the demand for attorneys in Las Vegas in the real estate practice area has remained robust to keep up with demand.
 

Conclusions

During the fallout from the dotcom boom in 2001 and in the next ensuing couple of years the importance of practice areas geographically has become critically obvious. Because law firms, corporation and other are all businesses, they shed attorneys in practice areas that were nonproductive just as fast as they could and absorbed attorneys in practice areas that made money just as fast as they could.

The discussion above highlights practice areas which have stood the test of time consistently in these geographic regions over the past several years. It is extremely important to understand that practice areas that stand the test of time are likely to always have jobs in these regions and those that do not may be part of boom and bust cycles.

Please see this article to find out if litigation is right for you: Why Most Attorneys Have No Business Being Litigators: Fifteen Reasons Why You Should Not Be a Litigator

 

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About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations-from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

• Immigration Law
• Workers Compensation
• Insurance
• Family Law
• Trust and Estate
• Municipal law
• And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

• Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
• Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
• Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
• Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success - The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm's unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

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Harrison's legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

• His articles on BCG Search alone are read by over 150,000 attorneys per month, making his guidance the most sought-after in the legal field. Read his latest insights here.
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With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

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Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials-he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison's work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

• Finds and creates job openings that aren't publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
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This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

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Harrison believes that every attorney-no matter their background, law school, or previous experience-has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

• Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
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• Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options-only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
• Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist-often in places they never expected.

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If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison's expertise will help you take control of your future.

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Harrison's reach, experience, and proven results make him the best legal recruiter in the industry. Don't settle for an average recruiter-work with the one who has changed the careers of thousands of attorneys and can do the same for you.

About BCG Attorney Search

BCG Attorney Search matches attorneys and law firms with unparalleled expertise and drive, while achieving results. Known globally for its success in locating and placing attorneys in law firms of all sizes, BCG Attorney Search has placed thousands of attorneys in law firms in thousands of different law firms around the country. Unlike other legal placement firms, BCG Attorney Search brings massive resources of over 150 employees to its placement efforts locating positions and opportunities its competitors simply cannot. Every legal recruiter at BCG Attorney Search is a former successful attorney who attended a top law school, worked in top law firms and brought massive drive and commitment to their work. BCG Attorney Search legal recruiters take your legal career seriously and understand attorneys. For more information, please visit www.BCGSearch.com.