What does a career in con law look like?

[tnr13]

What does a career in constitutional law look like when you graduate from law school? Early career options, and then how does that translate into mid-career? I know there is huge variety in con law, so let's specify a career in civil rights (thinking along the lines of Neufeld or doj cr or ACLU). Is this field pretty much reserved for overachieving HYS grads? Is it such a unicorn market that anyone that anyone with hopes of entering should be wary?

By way of background, I was considering a career in criminal law/public defense a little while ago but realized that I couldn't see myself doing it forever. Def not interested in anything big law or corporate related. I could be interested in civil rights but figured it was too hard to break into. I don't want to spend 200k for a slim slim slim chance for a field I *might* be interested in.

[ymmv]

The replies in this thread might be a good place to start: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=9269&p=320992

[ymmv]

I don't want to spend 200k for a slim slim slim chance for a field I *might* be interested in.

Unfortunately this is what going to a non-Yale law school to pursue constitutional law amounts to; your instincts are exactly correct. Many, many legal practices touch on constitutional law in various way, but shy of doing criminal appellate work or landing a job with the ACLU there aren’t many con law “specialized” practices to the degree of being a con law professor (which is not a career path anyone should bank on).

[tnr13]

I don't want to spend 200k for a slim slim slim chance for a field I *might* be interested in.

Unfortunately this is what going to a non-Yale law school to pursue constitutional law amounts to; your instincts are exactly correct. Many, many legal practices touch on constitutional law in various way, but shy of doing criminal appellate work or landing a job with the ACLU there aren’t many con law “specialized” practices to the degree of being a con law professor (which is not a career path anyone should bank on).

Sorry for the delay! I just wanted to say thank you for the url and information. And with that, the dream is dead! Thank you for saving me energy, suffering, and money. I will stay in policy research.