You may feel your area is inundated with lawyers and that there will be no careers available upon graduation. However, many lawyers do not work at a full-time practice. In fact, some are attached to companies, large corporations, or universities and law schools. Legal training can serve as an excellent base for many other career paths and endeavors.
Here is a list of some career paths you can explore with a law degree.
Work for a nonprofit
So, what does an attorney for nonprofits do? Many represent charitable organizations on corporate and tax matters. You may work with anywhere from five to nine clients daily, performing tasks such as counseling executives through compliance issues, reviewing or drafting governance documents and contracts, preparing tax-exemption applications, structuring mergers and collaborations, and advising on operational issues and strategies.
What is interesting about this path is the diversity of the potential clients. Nonprofit missions can range from topics pertaining to education, scientific research, social justice, disaster relief, health, environment, arts, international poverty relief, and animal welfare. The daily tasks may be similar, but each client is different. If you are someone who truly wants to make the world a better place, this career path will inspire and fulfill you.
Work as a judicial research assistant
A (JRA) Judicial Research Assistant is assigned to a (JO) Judicial Officer, i.e. a (Judge, Master, Magistrate or Registrar).
The line of work may range between conducting independent legal research, checking authorities and statues, editing and proofreading orders and opinions of JO’s, preparing legal briefs, researching legal issues and drafting opinions and judgements.
JRA’s are expected to have excellent research and writing skills. Working as a JRA is a great opportunity for exposure to many different aspects of the law granted there is an opportunity to rotate between JO’s and simultaneously the position can offer valuable experience in specific fields. This can create a smoother transition if later you choose to work in or practice a certain area of law like labor or environmental law.
Work as a faculty of law
Teaching is another career path a law degree may offer. If you have a passion for law and helping others, this could be a great fit. Molding the minds of young aspiring lawyers who want to help change the world is a noble cause.
Your career arc and flow will be different from that of others who work for a private firm. You will not be advising clients or billing clients hourly. It is not as fast-paced but does not offer the same upward mobility potential of working in a private firm. However, the stability and potential tenure track options are appealing for those who may not want to spend their time in an actual courtroom.
Work as a compliance officer
One field that is increasing in popularity for those with a law degree is the compliance sector. The basic tenant is to work with management and employees to identify and manage regulatory risk. It is a much more internal-facing position within a company.
Areas including financial services, health care, and government organizations are just a few fields that are ripe with opportunity for those looking to work as a compliance officer. Individuals can often pair an interest they have with their law expertise to find a good match for a compliance role. They may enjoy marrying the two interests and the amount of variety in the day-to-day work.
Work for an insurance company
Insurance companies have many more roles beyond being an agent or administrative duties. They often utilize loss adjusters to verify and investigate claims. There are many similarities between the requirements of this role and skills needed for a law degree. You must be extremely detailed, think analytically, possess good negotiation skills, and be a people person.
Many times, this role will include conducting interviews with the parties in the claim, much like interviewing a witness when practicing law. Keen attention to minor details and logical thinking, which are required in the courtroom, are transferable skills in this field.
Oftentimes, lawyers can become board or exhausted operating in the typical role of a lawyer working in a law firm and dealing with contentious legal issues. Hopefully this list has provided you with options and alternate career paths, should you seek out other ways to put your law degree to good use.