Which area of law is right for you?
By Zoya PatelPublished on
Want to understand what areas of law you can specialise in? This guide will help you learn about each option before explaining what you should think about when deciding where to focus.
Understanding your options in law
The field of law is a very broad one, both in terms of career options at the end of your studies, as well as what you can focus on while studying. Law is broken down into different specialisations, which are key areas of law that have distinct industries and systems associated with them.
Choosing the right specialisation for you comes down to a few key factors, which we’ll explore in more detail in this guide.
We also talked to Professor Joshua Aston, Associate Dean of Law at Edith Cowan University, to get some insight from someone with a long and successful career in law.
His first piece of advice is to remember you don’t have to specialise in an undergraduate law degree in Australia.
“A law degree in Australia is designed to provide a strong foundation across a broad range of legal disciplines. Core units introduce you to the fundamental principles of law, while elective units allow you to explore areas that interest you,” Joshua says.
Read on to find out more about the specialisations in law you can choose from.
Law specialisations at a glance
Let’s start by breaking down some of the key areas of law you can specialise in, and what makes them different.
Specialisation | What does it cover? | Where do you see it in action? | Do you need further study? | Career outcomes |
Criminal law | The criminal justice system, including prosecuting crimes, criminal defence and associated legislation. | In the court systems, police and law enforcement. | Specialisation is possible through undergraduate subject selection, as well as postgraduate diploma and degree options | Criminal lawyer/prosecutor Police/law enforcement Crime prevention policy |
Property law | The buying, selling and ownership of property, including intellectual and physical property. | Land and house sales, the protection of intellectual property, ownership and trade law | Specialisation is possible through undergraduate subjects, and further qualifications and on-the-job training provided in specific areas (e.g. conveyancing) | Conveyancing/property industry Real estate/commercial sector Legal policy relating to property rights |
Corporate law | The legal framework and application of corporation structures and activities. | Business governance and operations, for businesses of a certain scale (e.g. separate legal entities) | Specialisation is possible through undergraduate subjects, and further qualifications and on-the-job training provided in specific areas | Business, consulting, and legal work in major multinational law firms |
Family law | The legal system that dictates how family disputes and relationships are managed. | Marriage and divorce, custody and separation agreements, wills and estates. | Specialisation is possible through undergraduate subjects, and further qualifications and on-the-job training provided in specific areas (e.g. wills and estates) | Family lawyer (working with families experiencing conflict) Social work/child support system Wills and estate lawyer |
Human rights law | The national and international frameworks that dictate what human rights we ascribe people and how they are protected | International law, citizen rights and protections, and how we treat and manage asylum seekers or other human rights issues as a country | Specialisation is possible through undergraduate subjects, and further qualifications and on-the-job training provided in specific areas | Diplomacy/international policy Foreign affairs Advocacy and NGO sector |
Explore law specialisations
Let’s dive into each of these key law specialisations in more detail.
Criminal law
Criminal law is made up of the legislation, systems and practices that define what is or isn’t a crime in our society, and what the consequences are for breaking the law. This includes what legal protections are available to a person accused of a crime and to victims of crime.
Specialising in criminal law can include:
- Working as a criminal defence lawyer, or as a prosecutor
- Long-term, working towards a career as a judge in the criminal court system
- A career in victim support/advocacy or in the prison system
A career in criminal law might suit you if:
- You’re passionate about seeing justice and positive outcomes for victims of crime
- You want to pursue a career as a barrister or prosecutor
- You are interested in law enforcement or the penal system
- You are a logical thinker, and interested in working with case law, precedents and applying the rule of law to practical cases.
Family law
Family law is made up of the laws that define our rights, obligations and expectations in family relationships. Most commonly, we think of family law in relation to child custody and divorce and separations.
Specialising in family law can include:
- Working as a divorce lawyer, supporting families to find mutual solutions to issues like child custody
- Supporting families in social work or support settings
- Working with couples prior to marriage, looking at things like pre-nuptial agreements or marriage contracts
A career in family law might suit you if:
- You like working with individual people and families to manage conflicts or sensitive relationships, within the framework of the law.
- You are solutions oriented and enjoy problem solving.
- You are comfortable in high pressure or conflict-driven situations.
Corporate law
Corporate law is the system of law that guides how businesses and corporations act in society, including how they are set up, how individuals within a business structure are protected/what liabilities they have, and their legal obligations.
Specialising in corporate law could include:
- Working for one of the big multinational law firms as an associate all the way to partner level.
- Supporting businesses as an in-house legal advice
- Working in a consulting firm, or in government, in a relevant area of policy.
- A career in business, not strictly as legal counsel.
A career in corporate law might suit you if:
- You’re interested in working in larger corporate structures, and in the more traditional legal sector within a law firm
- You like reading and applying logic and analysis to big picture issues.
- You are interested in contract negotiation, or long-term, large-scale projects.
- You want to work in business.
Property law
Property law dictates how we own, buy or sell property, including tangible property like buildings, land and cars or intangible property such as intellectual property. Property law can relate to personal property or assets owned by businesses or government.
Specialising in property law can look like:
- Working as a conveyancer or contract lawyer in the real estate industry
- Working in intellectual property as a lawyer or in government policy
- Working at a state/territory level in government, or at a federal level, as property laws can be different state by state.
A career in property law might suit you if:
- You would rather work on shorter term projects than long term ones
- You like applying a system to individual circumstances
- You don’t mind a level of repetition in your style of work, and enjoy logical, systemic tasks
- You like interacting with people and organisations to work towards a common goal.
Human rights law
Human rights law is the ethical and legal framework that protects our basic individual freedoms and rights, including our dignity. Human rights law operates at a national and international level, and pertains to how we treat each other, as well as how governments treat us and what we can expect from our leaders.
Specialising in human right law can look like:
- Working in diplomacy or foreign affairs
- Being a politician, or policy maker
- Being an academic or researcher, looking at human rights law on a more philosophical level
- Working with individuals needing human rights support, such as asylum seekers, victims of crime, or other vulnerable groups.
A career in human rights law might suit you if:
- You’re passionate about making a positive difference in your community
- You like big-picture issues and want to be connected to the global sphere in your work
- You are interested in advocacy and working with communities for shared outcomes
- You don’t mind emotionally impactful work, and care about the human element beyond the more logical, fixed aspects of law.
How to choose the right specialisation in law
Now that you understand some of the main specialisations in law you can choose from, you might be ready to choose the right path for you.
Joshua says that it’s important not to be too fixed in your specialisation too early into your studies.
My advice is to keep an open mind. During your studies, take every opportunity to explore different areas of law through your coursework, internships, volunteering, mooting, legal clinics, networking events, and conversations with practitioners. Sometimes the area you least expect becomes the one you are most passionate about.
When weighing up which specialisation in law to choose, ask yourself these questions:
- What are your strengths as a student? If you’re great at reading and memorising, you might be more interested in property or corporate law. If you prefer interpreting issues and working with people, you might prefer family law, or criminal law.
- What type of work-life balance are you looking for? Some areas of law are more demanding with a higher workload and time commitment, whereas others may fit more easily into normal business hours.
- Do you want to practice as a lawyer, or explore other fields? A law degree is a versatile degree, but if you want to practice as a lawyer, you may want to specialise in an area that’s more fixed (e.g. conveyancing, as opposed to human rights policy)
- How do you want your career to progress? If your dream is to be a partner in a law firm, your specialisation choices will be different to if you really want to work at the UN one day. You may also want to compare typical law salaries across different roles.
How can you get started in law?
If you’re ready to start studying law, a good place to begin is by looking at the different course and degree options available to you.
You can study law online in a range of different ways, including starting with single subjects through Open Universities Australia, or enrolling in an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification.
If you want help exploring what the best online law study option is for you, you can book a free consultation with one of our a student advisors.
You can also read our guide to choosing the best online law degree for your situation, or learn more about the study experience in our guide to what it’s like to study law online.
Joshua has some useful advice to remember.
Be curious, embrace opportunities to explore different fields, and choose a path that aligns with both your interests and your purpose. A fulfilling legal career is built not just on expertise, but on enjoying the work you do and making a meaningful contribution to society.
Explore your study options through us
Find an online law course that fits where you want to go, or use Help me choose to narrow down your options based on your goals.
Open Universities Australia can help you compare your study options across Australian universities and access alternative entry pathways into study. You become a student directly with your chosen university.
About the author
FAQs about law specialisations
Do I need to choose a legal specialisation before starting a law degree?
No, you don’t need to choose a legal specialisation before starting a law degree. In fact, law degrees in Australia don’t require you to specialise in order to graduate. You can choose areas that interest you in your elective courses.
Can I change legal specialisations later in my career?
Yes, you can switch legal specialisations throughout your career, though you may have to undertake further study or take a step back in terms of your level of seniority if you switch to something really different.
But, for example, if you have specialised in criminal law and want to work in human rights law, there will be some strong overlap. This will be the case across a number of specialisations.
What if I'm interested in more than one area of law?
The great things about studying law in Australia is that you don’t have to specialise as part of your degree, and you have the opportunity to explore a range of legal specialisations through elective subjects. It’s a good idea to sample a range of different specialisations through your studies, so you can make an informed choice for your career.
Can a lawyer work across multiple areas of law?
A practicing lawyer will typically specialise in one area of law, and this is mostly because of the way law firms market and specialise their business to attract customers. That said, large multinational firms will have numerous areas or divisions within their businesses, and lawyers may move between these, working across common corporate, business and finance law areas.
Which areas of law are currently in demand in Australia?
According to LawUno, a professional network for lawyers, some of the areas of law that have the highest demand in Australia right now include subsets of corporate and commercial law, including mergers and acquisitions, contracts and finance law. Employment law is also an area of growth, and property law usually sees consistent demand.
Are some areas of law considered less stressful than others?
Yes, some areas of law are considered less stressful due to the nature of the work, and the timeframes/urgency associated with it.
For example, some people may find family law where conflict is a significant factor to be stressful, in comparison to something more rote and clinical like conveyancing.
It ultimately depends on the individual, how they handle stress, and what they consider stressful.
What is considered the most challenging area of law to practise?
There is no one law specialisation that is considered the most challenging area of law to practice, as this does depend on the individual and their work style and preferences.
However, many people would say that corporate law working in a multinational firm can be highly demanding in terms of workload and expectation. Family and criminal law are also considered high stress due to the subject matter involved.
It ultimately comes down to each person to consider the pros and cons of each specialisation for themselves.
What if I'm not sure which area of law interests me most?
If you’re not sure which area of law interests you the most, it’s a good idea to try a range of elective subjects when studying, and try different work placements and internships to get a sense of different specialisations.
The good thing is, you don’t need to specialise to study law in Australia, and law degrees offer a wide range of opportunities for you to learn more about different areas of law while you study.
