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A recent article by The National Jurist, “Juris doctor not the only option,” suggests that law school graduates should consider alternative careers. While many might find graduate school (or other industry sectors) a good alternative to practicing law, there are some alternatives that you may want to consider.
Alternative careers for juris doctor
The juris doctor (J.D.) is a professional degree that qualifies graduates to practice law in the United States. If you’re looking for an alternative career, you may want to consider one of these jobs that require a background in law.
Corporate law
Corporate law is the branch of legal practice focused on corporate entities and how they operate. A corporation is a business entity created by state statute or federal law. The corporation has its own separate legal personality from its owners and shareholders; it is considered a person under the law. Corporations are subject to regulation by governments at all levels: federal, state, and local. Corporate lawyers represent corporations in litigation against other corporations and individuals, as well as advise them on complying with laws that affect their businesses. They also draft contracts and other legal documents for corporations and their shareholders or members.
Accounting
Accounting is the recording of financial transactions so that they can be accurately reported on and analyzed by managers or others involved with the company’s finances. Accounting professionals ensure that appropriate accounts are created for each type of transaction—such as sales made on credit cards—and that each account shows both sides of transactions completed during a given period (
Alternative careers for juris doctor
Corporate lawyer
As a corporate lawyer, you’ll work with clients on legal issues related to their businesses. You may negotiate contracts and other business deals, draft legal documents, prepare and file legal documents in court and represent clients in court.
As a corporate lawyer, you will likely:
- Represent clients before government agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
- Analyze data to help companies make decisions about their investments or mergers.
- Draft securities agreements for public offerings of stock by large companies like Apple or Facebook.
Judge
Judges are responsible for interpreting and applying the law. They must weigh the facts of a case, plus applicable laws and precedents, in making a decision. In criminal cases, judges make decisions about whether people are guilty or not guilty. Judges also preside over civil cases involving monetary damages and other financial issues between parties who disagree on what should be done about a dispute between them (such as an employee suing his or her employer for wrongful termination).
Judges are often required to be neutral toward all parties in a case, but they can sometimes take into account how well someone has represented himself or herself before deciding how much weight to give that person’s testimony at trial.
Justice of the Peace
A Justice of the Peace is a judicial officer who has the authority to preside over certain cases. These cases usually involve misdemeanors, traffic violations, and other minor offenses. Justices of the Peace also have the authority to perform marriages in Colorado.
If you are interested in becoming a Justice of the Peace, it is good to know that there are two different types: municipal and state. Municipal justices typically hear small claims cases involving amounts less than $7000 as well as many other miscellaneous matters such as landlord/tenant issues or collections matters. State justices hear civil actions involving amounts above $7000 up through appeals in higher courts such as district court or circuit court cases where plaintiffs seek damages exceeding $25000 but no more than $1 million dollars (or vice versa).
Attorney General
The attorney general is a state government position that oversees all legal matters of the state. They advise the government on legal matters, defends the state in legal matters, and prosecute criminal matters.
If you want to be an attorney general, you should have a law degree from a highly respected university (such as Harvard or Yale) and at least ten years of experience as a practicing attorney.
State’s Attorney
You may think being a state’s attorney is similar to being a prosecutor, but there are some key differences. A state’s attorney is simply an elected official who represents the state in criminal proceedings. Whereas prosecutors are employed by the government and represent the interests of the federal or state government (or both), states attorneys must win their election before they can prosecute cases on behalf of their constituents.
Public Defender
If you have any interest in working in the public sector, being a public defender could be a great option for you. Public defenders defend those who are too poor to afford their own lawyer, and the work can be quite challenging at times. As a public defender, you will spend much of your time working on complex cases and helping clients through difficult legal problems.
While public defenders typically work long hours (sometimes up to 80 hours per week), they often receive compensation based on how many cases they handle each day or week. This compensation can include hourly wages as well as bonuses based on performance or other factors such as case resolution rates or client satisfaction surveys. In addition to these benefits, working with other lawyers can give you an opportunity to learn from others while also giving back to society by providing legal representation for those who need it most
Legal Aid Lawyer (NGO)
A Legal Aid Lawyer, who provides legal advice and assistance to the public as well as other NGOs, is a job that you can get after studying law. You will also be representing clients in court. The work description for this type of lawyer varies depending on where you are employed. For example, if you work for an NGO (non-government organization) or a government body, such as a city, county or state government then your role will be different from one that works independently in private practice.
Legal Aid Lawyers usually have experience working with their local legal aid commission and so they might already have contacts with lawyers who provide pro bono services to people who cannot afford them on their own accord. As such it’s much easier for them to find help when needed than others might find out there on their own.”
Manager of legal affairs for a company
A manager of legal affairs is responsible for reviewing and approving all legal aspects of a company’s business practices. This role involves reviewing contracts, interacting with outside counsel when necessary, and ensuring compliance with local regulations. A manager of legal affairs may even be tasked with creating contracts or documents used by the company on a regular basis.
It might seem like this would be similar to being an attorney, but there are some important differences: firstly, you aren’t forming opinions about cases or writing briefs; secondly, you wouldn’t need to worry about researching laws and procedures because it’s already been done for you by your clients’ attorneys; and finally it’s unlikely that anyone would expect you to have a license to practice law!
The other benefits? You’ll be doing something important at work instead of just dealing with paperwork all day long (which gets boring quickly). And according to Glassdoor reviews and salary surveys conducted by Payscale (a compensation data website), managers make pretty decent salaries—the median annual salary is around $70K USD per year which is much more than what most lawyers make as starting salaries (around $65K USD).
Negotiator for a company
If you are interested in the business world and want to help it grow, a career as a negotiator could be right for you. A negotiator is responsible for managing the exchange of goods and services between two parties. Negotiators often work for companies and are responsible for bringing in new business. They may be called upon to meet with clients or potential clients, explain products or services to them, and negotiate prices on behalf of their employers.
Negotiators can find jobs in a wide range of fields, including sales, marketing, business development (bringing in new clients), legal services (helping clients understand contracts), labor relations (organizing workers’ unions), etc.
Risk management analyst for a company
Risk management analysts identify and assess risks, develop strategies to manage them, and consult with business managers on ways to reduce risk. They can be found in financial service firms such as banks, investment companies and insurance agencies.
The work of a risk management analyst requires a broad knowledge of both finance and statistics. A bachelor’s degree in business, finance or economics is standard for this job.
Law graduates are able to pursue a wide range of careers in the legal and non-legal fields.
The law degree is a great foundation for any career. Graduates are able to pursue a wide range of careers in the legal and non-legal fields. Some examples include:
- Law firms
- Government and non-government organisations
- Businesses, including start-ups
