Not every person who holds a law degree works in law firms. Many find themselves venturing out into different industries due to the lack of positions in traditional law firms.
As an aspiring law professional, it’s best that you look into every possible career prospect even before you enter law school. Doing so gives you plenty of time and opportunity to weigh in your first choice in career, and what you can do if that falls through.
Here are some options that other law professionals have taken, and you should consider, too:
Entrepreneurship
Unlike law, a person doesn’t need a business degree to make it as an entrepreneur. This is because the sector requires a certain attitude instead of a level of intellect. Businesspeople should be able to execute their ideas properly. They should also be able to dedicate their time into improving because operating a business is what an individual can call a lifelong learning process.
If running a business doesn’t interest you, you can still practice law in this industry. Given the number of businesses in the market, it’s likely that there are open positions for corporate lawyers in some of them. Regardless of the path you choose, a degree in law will help in understanding and negotiating contracts better.
Finance
The world of finance is heavily regulated by both federal and state law. These laws impose requirements on different sectors that prevent them from acting against the best interests of their clients.
As such, many law students are drawn to this particular industry, given that their backgrounds will help them in different sectors, like taxes and insurance. It also doesn’t hurt that the banking and finance industries are always in need of people who are knowledgeable about the law.
In the insurance sector, you have the option to represent either the insurer or the client. As the client’s attorney, you’ll be tasked to make correspondence with the insurance company. In the event that things go awry, you’ll have to collect the facts and represent your client in court.
On the other end, insurance attorneys are in charge of keeping their companies compliant with the regulations and laws of the nation. Specialty is irrelevant in this end since life or captive insurance attorneys need to make sure that their clients remain lawful.
Academia and Writing
Some degree holders find that they don’t wish to practice law. If you ever feel the same, but don’t want to waste the time you spent earning your degree, don’t fret. You can still make use of what you’ve learned by joining the academe.
In this field, you have plenty of options. One of which is lending a hand in preparing future law professionals by teaching them. Another is by doing research and figuring out ways to update or improve existing laws. Lastly, by writing non-fiction or fictional books regarding the law. Imagine this: You as the Future John Grisham.
The career path you choose is dependent on many factors, one of which is your interest. If you feel that practicing law isn’t the right path for you, then don’t let yourself be constrained by the degree you earned. Instead, use it as a foundation in whatever field you’re drawn to. You’ll be surprised by how useful it can be.
