What Types of Jobs Can You Get After Law School?

A law degree opens up a variety of interesting careers for you. Some of them are traditional legal roles (law firm, courtroom lawyering), while others are more unusual.

Some are people-based (teaching, health and safety compliance, professional standards administration). Alternatively, some are more business-focused (chief executive, human resources manager).

Teaching is an excellent career choice for anyone who enjoys helping others. It involves a lot of patience and understanding, and it can be challenging at times.

Another benefit of teaching is that it can be very fulfilling. You can have a direct impact on people’s lives, and you’ll see the effects of your efforts firsthand.

You’ll also develop relationships with students, their parents, and other caregivers. These partnerships will help you when things get tough, as they’ll provide support and guidance.

You’ll also learn more than you ever thought possible in a classroom. You’ll learn new teaching methods and how to assess what your students are learning. You’ll also be able to share your expertise with other teachers and students. This can help you improve your career as a teacher and make you a more effective educator.

Many law students and professionals have an altruistic desire to make a positive difference in the world. Whether that means helping a family with their medical bills, responding to a fire, or providing a service to a community, they want to be involved in that work and have a sense of fulfillment.

The career of a public servant is a great way to pursue that. These positions are often based in government agencies and organizations, but they also exist within nonprofit legal services and policy organizations and in private law firms with extensive public interest practice.

Getting into the public sector after law school is not as straightforward as securing a job in the private sector, but it can be a good idea to explore the options available. It may be worth looking into a judicial clerkship or internship with a public agency, as these opportunities can help boost your credentials and offer you the chance to gain some experience before applying for an entry-level position.

If you want to do work that's directly related to your legal studies, nonprofit organizations may be a great place to start. These jobs can be particularly rewarding because they often allow you to build relationships with communities or people that have an impact on the organization's mission.

Many nonprofits are also very flexible in how they hire. They are mission-driven entities and typically want to hire people who align with their values, program work, and way of working.

Nonprofits are also known for offering competitive salaries and benefits, which can make them a good place to begin your career. However, this varies from organization to organization and is largely dependent on the size of the company.

For example, a large international nonprofit is going to pay a higher salary than a small local nonprofit with fewer resources. If you're unsure about what you can expect in terms of compensation, it is a good idea to research the market and find out how much others are earning before making a decision.

Corporate work is a great way to use your legal knowledge in a professional setting. It’s often challenging, but it can be very rewarding.

There are many ways to get into a corporate legal role after law school, including working as an in-house lawyer at a corporation or gaining experience through an internship at a law firm or employment.

Some law students choose to pursue careers as corporate lawyers because they want to gain the ability to apply their legal knowledge in a high-stakes, fast-paced environment. The salary is usually very good, and you can use your skills to influence the direction of business and legal strategy for a company.

Regardless of your motivation, it is important to make sure that you do not choose a career path that could harm your own health or that would be less productive for other people. In particular, consider whether spending three years in a highly competitive environment, where you will be under constant pressure to optimize for goals that are not your own, is something that you want or need.