Career Options for Law School Graduates

After graduating from law school, most students take the bar exam and become licensed lawyers. Then what? Well, then lawyers practice law.

That's not as easy as it sounds. There are many types of law out there that a lawyer can specialize in. You will have to decide which area of law most interests you. Then you must decide which work environment best suits your needs.

Specializations in Law
Lawyers work in many different fields. Some of the more popular law specializations are criminal, entertainment, tax and probate, corporate, bankruptcy, constitutional, intellectual property, patents, stock market and finance, labor, family, environmental, health care and personal injury law.

Law Firms
Many law school graduates begin their careers as an associate in a law firm. Here you will write briefs, produce documents and perform a lot of research. Associates tend to get the brunt of the work when preparing cases. Expect to work more than forty hours a week as an associate.

Private Sector
Many lawyers also seek positions in a corporation's legal department. As a lawyer working in a corporation, you will be considered in-house counsel. Lawyers in the private sector earn a steady paycheck and usually work less hours than lawyers working in a law firm.

Government Jobs
Lawyers can also find positions in the government. There are many opportunities out there for lawyers in the federal, state, and local governments. You can find work as a public defender, assistant district attorney, and other fields. There are many different government agencies that employ lawyers. Search government web sites for career opportunities.

Private Practice
Some lawyers like to be their own boss and open private practices. This is when you start a business for yourself using your services. This is a great way to have the freedom to set your schedule and decide the cases you want to take on. The drawback to opening your practice is that you will have to be both a lawyer and a business person. You will have to tend to duties such as billing clients, paying bills and managing your receivables.

Business
Some lawyers decide not to practice law. The law degree is a respected degree in other professions. Law transfers well to many sectors such as business. Lawyers have the ability to communicate well, negotiate and analyze dense information. These are skills that are needed in management positions.

No matter what you decide after law school, your degree can open many doors for you in the professional world.

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