Law Degree JobsWhat kind of Jobs can you get with a Law Degree?
Students should always find out the details about the types of careers with specific degree programs – you want to make sure that after completing your education and obtaining your degree, you are able to find a job that interests you and motivates you.
Law Degree Jobs Graduating from law school will allow you to choose from a varied number of jobs. Law degree jobs range from positions in private practice, public interest groups, government and corporations. We have listed some of the most common jobs below, bare in mind that this list is in no way complete. Lawyers are employed in many different organizations and serve many different roles. In the field of law, you could work: 1. Private Practice In a private practice, you would work in a small, medium or large sized firm, made up of only a few attorneys to hundreds of them. Most often, small private practice firms focus on a specific type of law. If you like working in small groups and don’t mind focusing on one particular area of the law, small law firms may be for you. Large private practice firms employ a large number of lawyers in many different areas of the law. At a large firm you could gain experience in many different aspects of the law, and decide your specific focus later on. You would start your career as an associate, or entry level lawyer. While in this position, you would spend your time producing legal documents, writing briefs, researching topic assigned by partners. The next step in the law firm hierarchy is becoming a partner. In this position you would participate in the selection of cases to be taken on by the firm, and share in the overall profits of the law firm. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lawyers held about 761,000 jobs in 2006. Twenty-seven percent of lawyers were practicing as partners in law firms or had their own private practice. 2. Public Interest A job as a public interest lawyer will allow you to focus on public policy issues and provide legal service related to those issues. Some examples of public interest issues include social justice issues, children’s rights, environmental protection, immigration rights, fair housing and civil liberties. If any of these areas interest you, serving in the public interest may be for you. 3. Government In government organizations you could work at the local, state or federal level. The benefit of government law jobs is that you can practice any area of the law. Some common positions are the District Attorney and Public Defenders, Attorney General and Department of Justice Lawyers. According to the Department of Labor Statistics, most government employed lawyers work at the local level. Those working at the federal government level tend to be concentrated in the Department of Justice, Treasury and Defense. 4. Corporations Corporations of all types usually have a number of in-house counsel, those who oversee the companies’ labor and employment cases. If you decide to pursue a job in corporations, you would most likely have one client and deal with any legal issues that come up. Corporation jobs are great if you like working for a single client, as opposed to many. You will work less hours and have a fixed salary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lawyers employed as in-house counsel worked mostly in public utilities, banks, insurance companies, real estate agencies, and manufacturing firms. A relatively small amount of lawyers works in law schools. Those that do, usually serve as faculty members, specializing in one or more subjects. Law Degree Jobs - Outlook and Salary Job outlook as well as salary greatly depends on the degree, specialization and type of law degree jobs that interest you. Like in any profession, level of experience and job training will also add to your salary. According to the Department of Labor Statistics, employment of lawyers is expected to grow 11% during 2006-2016, about as fast as the average for all occupations. The increased demands for legal services will result in increased job opportunities. However, due to a large number of students graduating from law school, competition for jobs is quite intense. Those with strong academic records will have the best job opportunities. The good news is that as a lawyer, you can work in less traditional settings such as administrative, managerial and business positions in banks, insurance firms and real estate companies.
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