Careers for the 21st Century: The Law

I found Law, by Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt to be an excellent resource for students who are considering a career in the legal field. The author does a remarkable job of accurately depicting the demands and responsibilities of a lawyer, as well as the steps a student needs to take to matriculate in law school. In addition, the author offers the reader a wide range of alternative career choices, including those of a paralegal, a court reporter, a law librarian or a mediator. As a teacher, I found these sections on various career options to be especially helpful, given that not every student has the interest and/or aptitude to become a lawyer. Each profession is described in a knowledgeable and concise manner, making it easy for student to obtain needed information. Law is an excellent, well-written resource book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is considering a career in the legal field.

This career guide does a good job encouraging high school students to think about law as a potential career field. The author has highlighted six possible choices, including paralegal, lawyer, judge, court reporter, law librarian, and mediator. Students can learn which high school classes can help them prepare for one of these careers, and learn about the advanced training and/or formal schooling they will need. I was surprised to learn that not all states require lawyers to go through formal schooling! I was also suprised to find that law librarians work in many different environmments and do many types of tasks, and that mediators can make a really good living helping people to settle their disputes outside of court--and they don't need a law degree to do so.