Law career help, plz?

I am 27 years old. I have a BS in Electrical & Computer Engineering, have worked for a few large corporations and worked 2 years at the US Patent & Trademark Office as an examiner. I am now applying to law school but I don't like Patent Law very much (its pretty dry and boring). I am very interested in working on class action cases. What kind of lawyer works on Class Action? How do I move in that direction if I am planning on starting law school in 2010?
I probably will be going to a Tier 3 law school because my undergrad GPA tanked due to Engineering classes (and my lack of interest at the time).
Additional Details
to MailAccount63,

You're answer initially scared me a bit, but after looking through your profile I realized that you seem bitter & disillusioned. You just keep copy/pasting the same response to tons of questions people have about a career in law.. based on your bad fortune.

As a response to my question you wrote that you are employed by a law school.. which leads one to believe you are a professor.

4 weeks ago, in response to someone asking why its so difficult for an individual with an education to find a job you wrote: "We are in a recession.
I am unemployed and educated - join the Club."

I just hope a law career isn't as hopeless as you make it out to be!

Lubyloo

First, listen to maliaccount 63. You are taking a risk in deciding to go to law school. For you to have any hope of getting a well paying job, you will need to get top grades in law school and be on law review and/or moot court. And you probably won't be able to pick and choose which kind of job you'll get or which area you'll be practicing in -- you'll probably just end up working at whatever law firm is willing to hire you. I graduated from law school in 2003, when the job market was also terrible as it is now, and was one of the lucky few to graduate with a good paying job -- I was editor in chief of the law review, had high grades, moot court experience, and prior law firm experience. The vast majority of my classmates graduate with huge debt (100k was common) and NO job prospects.

There are all kinds of class actions in corporate law, tort law, etc. In law school, you will take classes in those areas. You could also write a law review article about class action-related issues while in law school or be an assistant to a professor who focuses on these areas. If there is a "class action guru" at your school, you should attach yourself to him/her.

EDIT:

Patent Lawyer DC, I can't speak for whether maliaccount 63 is bitter and disillusioned, but I can tell you that what she's saying 100% correct. I'm a lawyer at a large law firm who participates in hiring of lawyers for our firm. Law schools are a business, taking advantage of the fact that many people wrongly assume that a law degree = major $$$.

Elliott M

corporate law ,with a background like yours it should be a snap,a lot of research in the field and keep moving there is plenty of work on that horizon due to all the incompetence's that has arisen in the last two decades

mailaccount63

Warning! Jobs in the field of Law are drying up FAST!! This is not a good field to invest in. Many reasons. Main reason?.....We simply have WAY TOO MANY Lawyers - we have a GLUT of Attorneys.

So...even IF you finish law school, you probably won't be able to find a job when you are done. Now, the law schools know this, but they won't tell you the truth >that the market/economy is SATURATED with Lawyers/Attorneys. The law schools continue to churn out graduates because a law student is easy money for a law school - they have to make very little investment in a law student (compared to other areas of study).

Now if you want a JOB when you are done with your studies, consider and look into the field of HEALTHCARE! <this is where the jobs are! and scholarships!

Good luck.

Amanda

Well you first would have to decide which side you want to be on, plaintiff or defense. From there, there may a law firm here or there that "specializes" in class action suits, but you would probably need to just find a firm that specializes in civil tort law. Many civil defense firms mostly contract out with various insurance companies. For example, you get in a car accident and get sued, your insurance company hires a law firm to represent you. To answer your specific question, civil tort attorneys work on class actions.
To move in that direction you should apply to intern at civil firms. I wouldn't recommend trying to find something during the school year of your first year, it's a stressful time, but starting that next summer, work you heart out. As far as your internships or clerkships go, it doesn't really matter which side you are on, as long as you are gaining experience in that field. (I would suggest figuring out which side you like prior to the summer between your 2nd and 3rd year, many times you can get a job offer from the job you take during that summer.) It's important to have a lot of great experience to back up your degree if you go to a 3rd tier school, but it looks like you have a good start since you're an engineer.
Also, don't worry about starting law school when you're 28 (if you are worried). You will not be alone! There was a 66-year-old woman in my law class.

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