THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF LEGAL JOBS ON EARTH
LawCrossing Feature
Why Go For a Non-Lawyer Career with a JD With one lawyer in every 247 citizens in U.S., going for a non-lawyer career with a JD is a question that crosses the minds of many law students and attorneys, quite frequently and quite logically. To establish success in a career, besides the obvious formulae of hard work, time management, acquiring effective habits and other essential strategies, market positioning is one that is often overlooked.
Positioning yourself for an alternative career: Let’s give a simple example: One of my friends, who
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No sweatshop and billable hours
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Better work-life balance
•
No pressured atmosphere where ‘who you are’ is
was just a nonentity here and literally struggling to survive, is currently having a great life of respect,
measured on ‘how much you manage to bring in’ •
No facing the common public disdain for lawyers
adequate money and quality life in Schezwan province
( You might be able to prove it is illogical, but
of China as an English teacher. In U.S., he was just
won’t be able to prove that it does not exist)
another person who knew English as a mother tongue
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– nothing out of the ordinary. In China, he is an
No more bound to state licensing authorities and constrained to keep working in the same courts
extraordinary asset to the educational institution which
– leading to greater geographical flexibility
hired him.
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My friend successfully positioned himself by making
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A greater number of career options
a shift from being in a market where his skills were
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Greater value for your undergraduate education
surplus in supply (everyone knows English) to where
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Greater job and salary security
his skills are in great demand (no one has English as
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Greater rights as an employee – even in public
Greater respect from colleagues and co-workers for your legal knowledge and background
his mother tongue). Same thing with a JD. There are
service attorneys do not have so many rights and
many skills that are acquired by law students and
protections as non-attorney employees
graduates with JD which are ordinary in a market for
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Much, much more enjoyment of life
lawyers, but extraordinary in many non-lawyer jobs. Proper market positioning can yield quick success in
Of course, there are downsides too and the major
alternative careers and accompanying greater quality
downsides are lower income levels on average and a
of live and living. Sometimes, it is worth a thought,
feeling of a loss of social prestige. (No one habitually
and this article is for those who do not subscribe to the
addresses you as “Sir” any more, but then no one also
belief that when you have a JD, your only option in life
hates you for being a slimy you-know-what). Coupled
is to become a lawyer.
with this there is also a slight disdain from former colleagues and classmates who would like to believe
What do you get on a non-lawyer job that prefers
that you were ‘unable to make it.’ But, you got the
a JD?
chance to prove every one wrong, because the world is now open to you. Unless, you are working in a
While there are many advantages of a non-lawyer job
suitable law-related position which is recognized in law
over that of traditional lawyer jobs, the following are
firm practice circles, it would be difficult to return to
obvious:
mainstream law practice again.
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THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF LEGAL JOBS ON EARTH
LawCrossing Feature
Traditional non-lawyer alternatives for a JD:
and Finance, Civil Rights Organizations, Contracts and Grants, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, Energy
Nothing’s impossible for a JD – run for the President’s
and Environment, Healthcare, Ethics and Professional
post if you want to, or become a human resource
responsibilities, Insurance and Risk Management,
manager if you feel like it. And you may not believe
Intellectual Property, Intelligence and Security, Legal
it, but the industry also recognizes that there are
Administration, Legal Research, Management, Teaching,
‘traditionally non-traditional’ options for those
Media & Entertainment, Real Estate – the list is
with a JD, and non-lawyer jobs where a JD is truly
factually endless. All of these fields have openings for
preferred. Some such fields of work include Academic
people with a JD and where you do not need to work as
Administration, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Banking
a lawyer.
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