THE LOWDOWN ON... Sectors

I have previously spoken of how I think it is important to have an idea as to what sectors you wish to work in as a lawyer and so I thought it would be helpful to provide a little more insight into a number of different sectors that you could possibly work in. When you are deciding on what firm you wish to apply to work or train at, knowing the sectors that interest you most can really help to narrow down that search.

There is an increasing number of law firms that are 'full-service' firms. This means that they cover all practice areas of commercial law and the only thing differentiating them from the next firm is the sectors that it specialises in.

Below I have listed a range of sectors that you often find covered by a wide range of law firms, but the list is most definitely not exhaustive. (A sector can also be referred to as an industry):

Agriculture

Automative

Aerospace

Charities

Construction

Energy and Renewables

Financial Services

Health care

Life Sciences

Private Client

Real Estate

Retail

Sport

Technology, Media and Telecommunications

As mentioned, this has not covered all of the possible industries, but hopefully you are able to do further research from the above list and begin to understand what it means to know the sectors you would enjoy working in going forward. If you find the automative industry incredibly dull but have a particular interest in media, then it may be helpful to focus your search on firms that specifically focus on the media sector. Within both sectors there will be similar corporate transactions required, such as employment contracts, funding and intellectual property, as well as contentious matters too.

Law firms display what sectors they specialise in on their website and you can often see what kind of transactions that would include. Many industries require similar legal needs, therefore it is sometimes not as important to focus on the practice areas of a firm but to have a deeper understanding of the sector focus to determine if that industry is one you see yourself advising on in the future.

I hope this is helpful and all the best on your search!