A lawyer is one of the best jobs in America with a median salary of over $126,000 per annum and an unemployment rate of 1.1%. Its job growth is projected to grow by 9% by 2030. However, a Juris Doctor (JD) degree is not the only one that permits you to work in the legal field. If your major is in law, there are several interesting career options that exist. From working as a paralegal to becoming a legislative assistant, a law major can open different career paths that you might find suitable and rewarding.
JD Degree
Completing a law degree plus passing the bar exam successfully will allow you to practice as an attorney and provide legal representation. As an accredited lawyer, you can work in several fields. For example, as an attorney-at-law, you can work in estate planning or real estate. Lawyers can also practice as a personal injury lawyer or as a law professor. Those who are employed in the judicial system can even become a judge. If you don’t want a permanent occupation, you can offer your services as a contract attorney with different law companies on a contract basis. Part of your duties may include reviewing legal agreements and representing clients for short-term cases.
It is also possible to start your own law firm working alone or as partners with fellow attorneys. Your company might deal with different types of cases or specialize in niche topics. Whatever your firm works on or regardless of size, the company needs to promote its services online and offline. One of the main strategies is to improve the lawyer SEO or the search engine optimization to increase the traffic of the firm’s website and its visibility. The main objective is to achieve a high ranking, ideally, first-page positions, on popular search engines such as Google or Bing. When it is easy to find a law firm using search queries, you increase visitors to your website which could translate to more business and clients.
BSLS Degree
Before going to law school for 3 years, you need an undergraduate degree. A Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies (BSLS) is a good education foundation. Should you decide to abandon a JD degree, your BSLS is designed to arm you with the skills to work in several entry level positions. Find work as a paralegal in a law firm, insurance company, or government agencies. You will prepare legal documents, conduct research, and maintain contact with clients.
Another possible job is to become a law enforcement officer. You will patrol assigned public areas, issue tickets to those breaking the law, and respond to emergency calls. With a BSLS degree, you can also function as a mediator. You will deal with conflict resolutions between two parties to reach an amicable outcome.
The field of law is a versatile one. Whether you choose to do preparatory law or become an attorney, there are several areas that you can work on using your qualification from research to litigation.