Your options in law
RULES and regulations give humans order. Through the legal system, people are expected to adhere to the will of the country and do what is right. With the possibility of encountering so many different situations, however, how would you know when is the right time to do the right thing?
This predicament is what makes law interesting. After you brave the rocky journey of law school, which is commendable in itself, you will choose an area to specialise in. To the public eye, legal professions are generalised under “lawyer” – someone who deals with any law, despite the field having multiple specialisations that cater to different legal areas and situations.
It is true that some lawyers tend to many areas of the law, but most identify their strengths in one or two legal areas and specialise in them.
Protectors of creators
In this digital era of advanced technology, intellectual property fraud is rampant. As an intellectual property lawyer in this country, you will work with the Malaysian Intellectual Property Office.
You will handle various cases of rights protection for tangible and intangible creations from individual creators and organisations. You will advise your clients and file applications for copyright, trademark and patent rights for them according to legal regulations.
In this specialisation, you will need to be meticulous and have a thorough understanding on the different domains of intellectual property such as the arts, research and innovation, and industrial designs.
Nature’s helpers
With the rapid rise in global temperature and melting ice caps, uncontrolled pollution is to blame especially in a country such as Malaysia where the environment protection regulations are quite lenient. Environmental lawyers play a crucial role in mending not only the local situation but also contributing to the betterment of the Earth’s health.
An environmental lawyer represents clients in legal issues concerning air, water and land pollution such as waste management, biodiversity protection, clean energy regulations and climate change management.
You need to be organised and detailed if you aim to be an environmental lawyer because you will be gathering information, documents and proof to make effective cases especially with arbitrary or incomplete interpretations of environmental law.
Essentials of business
The vast business industry witnesses countless cases of organisational issues every day such as formation and dissolution. Corporate lawyers oversee the legal side of these issues.
These lawyers work at law firms and serve as consultants for several organisations or assume the role of in-house counsel for one organisation.
As a corporate lawyer, you will cover matters such as acquisitions, mergers, contract disputes, patent applications and liability issues.
You can choose to work for small companies or huge business conglomerates, but remember that bigger clients come with tougher responsibilities.
Pursuing this specialisation requires you to be a perfectionist and strategist as there is no room for mistakes. You must appear professional and have a strong grasp of language to obtain the trust and respect of your clients.
At a glance
It is understandable that lawyers’ roles are over-generalised. They are, after all, professionals who tend to legal issues and ensure that people, including themselves, abide by the law.
However, when lawyers specialise, they will know their chosen areas like the back of their hands, which makes them experts in those areas. Not limited to the aforementioned specialisations, there are many more legal fields such as criminal law, family law, immigration law and international law.
Your enthusiasm, effort and dedication will not only take your career to great heights, it will also give you immense job satisfaction because you chose an area you knew you could do your best in.
As a corporate lawyer, you will cover matters such as acquisitions, mergers, contract disputes, patent applications and liability issues. You can choose to work for small companies or huge business conglomerates, but remember that bigger clients come with tougher responsibilities.