Miami legal market

[queencruella]

Miami is where I want to practice; however, my main interests are criminal defense, personal injury and all things trial law which makes me wonder if the market in Miami is conducive towards building a successful practice since I plan on  focusing on those areas of the law. (I can’t work for anybody but myself so Biglaw is out of the question). I plan on learning both Spanish and Portuguese after I graduate undergrad and during my 3 years (possibly 4 If I go for a MBA) of graduate school. How does market  for the above mentioned law areas in terms of building a lucrative practice? Also, I know that being a t14 is good and thing but hopefully it is not the deciding factor. Even with my potentiol raw scores I still think YHS is a crap shoot.

homicides and accidents don't believe in geographic restrictions. neither should you.

The key is whether they are lucrative. I know that in Tampa criminal defense is not lucrative at all because there simply aren't that many wealthy criminal clients. That may or may not be the case in Miami, but it's something this poster wants to research before diving in.

[Midnight]

Well if I could prosecute Latin American dictators I'd make a killing in Miami

[ksigman123]

Montana Holding Corporation still needs criminal defense attorneys...

but seriously I live in pretty much a TTT city in Florida (No offices of V100 or Am200 period) and the criminal lawyers still make a killing

remember in order to qualify for a public defender you need to make about poverty level...

so if your middle class (and im talking normal middle class (40-50ish)  there is no way you can qualify unless you default on your home...

people still need to be defended from DUIs

and actually unless you inherit a bunch of clients the best way is to work in the state attorney's office for 2-3 years and then move over to private practice...

[queencruella]

Montana Holding Corporation still needs criminal defense attorneys...

but seriously I live in pretty much a TTT city in Florida (No offices of V100 or Am200 period) and the criminal lawyers still make a killing

remember in order to qualify for a public defender you need to make about poverty level...

so if your middle class (and im talking normal middle class (40-50ish)  there is no way you can qualify unless you default on your home...

people still need to be defended from DUIs

and actually unless you inherit a bunch of clients the best way is to work in the state attorney's office for 2-3 years and then move over to private practice...

This isn't entirely true.In the federal court, they ask if you have an attorney. If you don't, they'll assign you a CJA attorney, determine how much you'll have to contribute, and then give a flat hourly fee to the CJA attorney. I've heard that in Tampa, there are very few, if any criminal defense firms that do not have to take contract work from the government because the criminals here simply don't have that much money to fork out.

[ksigman123]

Good point about the CJA stuff but i find it hard to beleive that criminal in miami is that tough...it jus might require opening an office in south broward or north dade and serving all three counties...

[Midnight]

Also, my advisor told me If I planned on building a practice in florida I should learn spanish. If anything you increase your earning potentiol.

[UGAfootballfanatic]

Also, my advisor told me If I planned on building a practice in florida I should learn spanish. If anything you increase your earning potentiol.

Lol. No one in Florida speaks spanish north of fort lauderdale. I heard more spanish in rural South Georgia than I hear in Central and north florida.

[->Soon]

ummmm, did u ever visit tampa?  osceola?

[keelee]

Also, my advisor told me If I planned on building a practice in florida I should learn spanish. If anything you increase your earning potentiol.

Lol. No one in Florida speaks spanish north of fort lauderdale. I heard more spanish in rural South Georgia than I hear in Central and north florida.

% Spanish speaking households:

Hillsbourgh County...16.02%
Osceola County...27.36%
Orange County...17.33%
Palm Beach County...11.89%

Now, obviously, Miami-Dade is the only place where Spanish is dominant, but the Spanish speaking influence is felt to some degree all the way up to Tampa (which has a large Cuban community) and Orlando (which has a Puerto Rican community larger than Miami's). Once you get north of Tampa and Orlando, then you won't hear any Spanish.

Also, Spanish isn't prevalent among the middle and upper class once you get north of Fort Lauderdale, so it isn't at all needed for any sort of professional job.

[billthethrill]

I would agree with whoever warned about taking career placement advice from 0L's.  I am a rising 3L at Miami and I look on the OCI board all the time.  I can't recall EVER seeing a Biglaw firm that required Spanish.

It is true that many of the smaller firms do prefer a foreign language, but this doomsday portrait that the 0L's are painting of the Miami market is ridiculous.