<p>What is the best area of law to specialize in if your ultimate goal is to become a judge? Preferably a district court judge?</p>
<p>There is no best. Federal district court judge is highly one determined by politics and you need political allies to get nominated. You also need to have no “skeletons in the closet” because the investigations done by the government and policital parties (particularly the party that opposes you) of candidates nominated will find you out even if it is something you did as a baby. You see many who did stints as prosecuting attorneys on the federal level or significant state/city level, others that come out of large firms with substantial political connections, others who have held political office somewhere; there is a variety but it all comes back to that you usually need your US senator to put you in for consideration so you better have a lot of connections to that person.</p>
<p>For state court trial level judges, it is much of the same but more on the local level and most states elect their judges and thus you are usually going to need the backing of the political party that most often wins offices in your county.</p>
<p>I agree that it’s very political. Even if you are a brilliant and accomplished attorney with lots of good connections, it’s probably pretty easy to get passed over since (federal) district judges are chosen by the president.</p>
<p>That said, I would guess your chances are best if you become a federal prosecutor. Which itself is a pretty difficult position to obtain, but still.</p>
<p>You should of course ask yourself if you really want to be a judge. Do you really want to have to carry a gun around to protect yourself from disgruntled litigants? Especially if you have a terrorism, abortion, or mafia related case.</p>
<p>An attorney in private practice can brush off potential clients who seem crazy or annoying. A judge must pay attention to litigants (and attorneys) are are annoying or even crazy.</p>
<p>Also, the amount of money a judge makes is extremely low compared to other attorneys with similar levels of experience. </p>
<p>Do you like attention (even negative attention?) Or are you happier being an anonymous private citizen? Would you mind constantly watching what you say or write to make sure there is nothing un-PC which could be used against you?</p>
<p>I could never be a judge. I love saying things that are un-PC. I guess I’ll stick with private practice.</p>
<p>Well a judge was the first thing that I ever wanted to do when I was a kid (weird huh?) so I’m just kinda searching around about different things. As of now I’m an engineering, but I’ve been thinking lately about maybe applying to law school when I graduate. Well the money isn’t really a big thing to me, after all I’m guessing I would need a minimum of 10 years of being an attorney before I could even become a judge and so I would just make the bigger bucks then and just save. A judge’s salary is still pretty good though.</p>
<p>I saw an add the SDNY put out for a federal bankruptcy judge a few years ago…the salary being offered was $150k. That’s fine, but remember that you have to live in New York on that.</p>