A key focus of my blog is Career Discussions. When we think of law degrees, we think of them for specific purposes but there are actually several ways to put them to good use. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Ways You Can Put Your Law Degree to Good Use.
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Students who studied law in college often finish school and find that they are confused as to what the next step should be. A lot of law graduates opt for the most obvious choice, which is to apply to a law firm. Most times, it’s usually because of the appeal of a large salary. Unfortunately, a bulk of these applicants find themselves disappointed when they’re hit with this painful reality: getting into a law firm is very difficult.
More so, the very small percentage of law graduates who do eventually get the opportunity to work at prestigious law firms sometimes realize down the line that the job might not be what they expected, or not what they really want. The problem here is that a lot of law graduates limit themselves when it comes to exploring options post-law school. It isn’t uncommon to shift positions,or sides, from prosecution to defense for example. You may also step down from key roles into something where you can help others, just as Tricia A Bigelow recently did by moving from the California Court of Appeal to arbitration. There are several other things you could do with your law degree, and if you’re sitting there wondering what they are, then here are 5 other ways for you to use your degree.
1. Notary
Those who do not want to argue in court should take a closer look at the profession of notary. In contrast to public prosecutors, judges and lawyers, the notary is basically there to prevent a legal dispute. Notaries, for example, take care of the certification of property contracts and mortgages, foundations of joint stock companies, marriage contracts and divorce agreements as well as wills and inheritance contracts.
2. Administrative lawyer
Yes, there’s the option of practising law in a law firm, but discussed, sometimes that just doesn’t work out. You see, working in a law firm doesn’t mean that you have to practice law there. There are other opportunities for law graduates in law firms, one of which includes filling administrative roles.
This is a relief for those who don’t have a postgraduate certificate in their pockets, as the final grade is not so important here. More so, administrative lawyers take on administrative and legal advisory work for authorities and also bring clarification in legal disputes. Administrative lawyers are primarily employed by the federal, state or local authorities – such as the police, ministries or district offices.
3. Self-employed lawyer
This is a less common route than the others, but as a law graduate, you could simply just venture into entrepreneurship as a criminal defense lawyer or start your own law firm. If you really have an entrepreneurial mindset, don’t be afraid to venture out and do your own thing. Remember that all the big law firms you know today started out small.
4. Government lawyer
There are at least a thousand and one roles that a government lawyer could take up. The great thing about being a government lawyer is that there are opportunities on every level, from federal to state to local/regional. Local governments employ lawyers all the time, as they need their expertise in roles ranging from contracting to litigation. More so, working as a government lawyer can even get you the added advantage of having access to special loan forgiveness programs that help pay off your student loans.
5. Conflict resolution
A lot of the time, businesses and individuals tend to consider alternative dispute resolution before going to court. This is where you come in since there are a couple of roles involved in this field. You could work as a mediator, dispute resolution specialist as well as a bunch of other things. You will essentially be involved in helping people reach resolutions outside the courtroom.
