After graduating with a law degree, choosing your career path is not always a simple choice, especially if you have different interests in how you plan to put your degree to use. Reviewing the top 10 attorney jobs available today in accordance to salary and potential earnings is a way to gain perspective to help with choosing a career that is right for you. Researching various attorney jobs is a way to understand more about the options available for all law students, whether you have a passion for becoming a judge or if you are thinking of becoming a trial lawyer or a law professor.
Paralegal
If you are interested in paralegal work, there are many different paralegal jobs available on the market to choose from depending on the position you are interested in and most qualified for professionally. Paralegals and legal assistants earn an average salary of $46,990 annually. Although obtaining a position as a paralegal often only requires an Associate’s degree, it is best to receive a degree that that is law-related.
Conducting legal research for law firms, organizing and handling documents as well as working with other attorneys within the firm itself are all responsibilities of individuals working as paralegals. It is possible to work for corporate agencies along with government agencies; although most paralegals are likely to find work within law firms themselves.
Paralegal jobs are expected to grow approximately 17% between 2012 and 2022, making them an optional position to obtain with the proper experience and educational background. Most paralegal positions require individuals to work full-time. In some cases, positions demand overtime for paralegals depending on the number of clients the firm has taken on and the time of year.
Defense Attorney
Working as an attorney requires the ability to defend clients who have potentially been charged with theft, murder and other vicious crimes. Taking on the job of a defense attorney requires the ability to create proper defense trials in a court of law to protect and assist your clients as much as possible, regardless of the crime committed and any evidence that is present in each individual case. The average attorney’s salary in the US is approximately $113,000 annually, although this varies with the number of high-profile cases each lawyer is capable of taking on.
Lawyers have an average fee of approximately $48.00 with higher-priced lawyers costing anywhere from $300 to more than $1000 an hour depending on the case and client. Defense attorneys help to build cases in favor of their client, especially in cases involving violence, attempted murder and murder itself.
Working to become a lawyer requires you to pass the bar exam, which is a test for law student graduates to determine whether or not you are knowledgeable enough to represent other individuals within a courtroom. The bar exam varies in each state with the type of questions and the format of the test altogether. Before you become a defense attorney in your state, it is highly recommended to review the criteria of the bar exam before moving forward with the career choice.
Judge
Becoming a judge is not always simple, and often requires previous experience in the legal field as an attorney or another professional in law. Working as a judge requires individuals to hold hearings, facilitate issues between parties involved in cases in make final rulings in legal cases. Judges are also responsible for following proper laws within trials and court room cases to ensure that both parties are given fair representation at all times with their lawyers or representatives.
A judge’s annual salary is approximately $102,000, earning $49.00 hourly. Most judges who are currently employed today are hired by government agencies, local courts and state courts. The position is full-time and in some cases, requires additional work outside of the courtroom to help with putting together cases and following evidence and other information that is being presented throughout a longer trial. Seeking a job as a judge is recommended if you have an avid interest in justice and ensuring that no case goes unturned. When you want to become a judge, it is often required to become sworn in by other judges and approved based on your past case work and experience within court rooms. Building a reputation may take years to become an appointed judge depending on where you live and whether you are interested in becoming a local or a state judge.
Trial Lawyer
When you are seeking lawyer jobs after obtaining a legal degree, consider the option of becoming a trial lawyer. Working as a trial lawyer is possible independently or for a corporation, government agency or a law firm of your choice. Trial lawyers are able to help represent those who are interested in suing others for various reasons. When you want to work as a trial lawyer, there are a few different focus areas of law that you can focus on and specialize in to find the right clients to represent.
Some areas of law range from working with businesses, contracts and litigation, whereas other areas of law focus on environmental law, government law and family law. Determining the type of law to study before choosing a career path is possible by reviewing various cases that have been handled in different courts and systems. Becoming a trial lawyer requires all individuals to pass the bar exam, similar to other lawyers, including defense attorneys. Passing the bar exam is one of the most difficult processes of obtaining the ability to practice as an attorney, which is why it is imperative to review the various facets of law available before selecting the right type of law you want to focus on and study.
Trial lawyers have the freedom of choosing different paths of law to study before taking on cases. Additionally, when you choose to work on your own independently as a lawyer with your own firm after you have passed the legal bar exam, it is much easier to take on clients of your own choice. Working as a trial lawyer is ideal if you want to find a career that allows you to provide justice in areas you believe in and want to help within the system today. Before you become a trial lawyer, it is important to gain more experience in a variety of areas of law by visiting court rooms, working with other colleagues and reading on different sectors of the law prior to making your final decision. The more you know about the different areas of the law, the easier it is to choose a path that is right for you for the career that is most suitable for you and the future you have in mind for yourself.
Chief Legal Officer
Chief legal officers are considered the most powerful legal executives within firms and companies they represent. Working as a chief legal officer requires you to oversee various decisions made upon attorneys and other employees working for a government agency, corporation or even for a local law firm. The annual salary for a chief legal officer is approximately $101,000 with $48.00 an hour for a full-time position. Chief legal officers do not require on-the-job training but they do require a Bachelor’s degree to begin filling the position.
Ensuring legal firms meet goals, helping to devise new strategies and assisting with documents and activities are all responsibilities of those working as chief legal officers. Having experience in law or in criminal justice with education is often necessary in order to begin working as a chief legal officer. When you want to work as a chief legal officer, becoming a law grad and working towards becoming an attorney can help to find the position that is ideal for the work environment most suitable for you.
Law Professor
Law professors have been known to make anywhere from $115,000 to more than $158,000 annually, depending on the field of law you are teaching, your specialties, experience as well as the number of years you have been working in law yourself. Law professors require a law grad degree and in many cases, require individuals to have passed the legal bar exam in order to begin earning higher salaries when teaching at a higher level in college. Working as a law professor is growing in demand, making it an ideal career to aim for if you have a passion for law and if you an interest in teaching others who are looking to go in the direction of law and working as attorneys themselves.
When you want to work as a law professor it is necessary to have a love for teaching others and the ability to communicate with new students who may not be familiar with the type of laws there are currently in place today, especially in your own state. Understanding a wide range of law subjects is required to become a law professor, although once you become a law professor of your own you have more freedom to begin teaching lessons that you believe in and want to share with your students. Law professors not only require the ability to understand all facets of the law when teaching new students, but they must also have the ability to communicate openly with various methods of teaching and incorporating law into different types of lessons each day in class.
Working as a law professor is one of the most free law-related attorney jobs that are available to choose from today if you have a passion for law and you are seeking a way to share your own passion with other students who are looking to become law professionals or attorneys of their own someday. When you work as a law professor, it is possible to create your own lesson plans and to develop new strategies for your class to build any type of itinerary you have in mind.
Law Firm Administrator
Law firm administrators earn approximately $88,000 a year, and require a Bachelor’s degree with less than 5 years of experience in the field. Working as a law firm administrator requires professionals to coordinate services, direct and manage information within firms and offices, and oversee various accounts and client information to help smooth the operation of any law firm. Working as a law firm administrator is a full-time position, and requires the ability to handle multiple tasks throughout the day while keeping track of different clients and cases simultaneously.
When you work as a law firm administrator, overtime is also often common, making it difficult to stick to a traditional schedule if you are not familiar with overtime or working late. Law firm administrators ensure that all cases are taken care of and that events are coordinated and planned as necessary to keep the operation of any law firm they are representing running smooth at all times. Law firm administrators have experience with overseeing final decisions within law firms to help with business growth and the growth of a law firm’s overall image, especially when seeking new clientele or advertising the type of legal services the law firm you represent provides.
Legal Mediator
Working as a legal mediator has an average earning of approximately $91,880. Legal mediators are required to work with individuals to help with avoiding conflicts and determining solutions to help resolve them as quickly and as much as possible. When parties who are divorcing or going through a trial are seeking help from out of the courtroom, they often turn to legal mediators to help with the process.
Becoming a mediator requires the study and understanding of law. It is also highly recommended to have a background or experience in psychology or the study of human behavior and communications when choosing to work as a mediator. Mediators often work full-time, and having patience and the ability to handle conflict each workday is necessary to take on this position.
Working as a mediator also requires that individuals are capable of gauging actions and behaviors of others to keep conflicts from becoming out of control, especially in situations where tension is high and it is difficult to get the parties who are involved to properly communicate. When you work as a mediator in any position, it is essential to have the ability to listen to both sides of cases, regardless of the parties who are involved. Working with others when you are mediating can be done individually as well as in group sessions, which is often recommended, especially during cases of separations and divorces from spouses.
If you want to take on work as a mediator, it is also important to understand the legal side of any issues that are brought up or mentioned during the mediation itself; which is why it is necessary to obtain a law grad degree before you begin working as a mediator. The more experience you have in the field of law, the easier it is to ensure you are capable of obtaining the position you want, whether you prefer to work in family law or if you want to work in business litigation and contract cases between disputing parties.
Obtaining another degree in psychology is also highly recommended when working as a mediator in the law. When you have a degree in psychology, you are much more likely to find positions to hire you over those without experience in psychology. Having knowledge of psychology and understanding others and how to communicate effectively at all times is necessary any time you want to work in a mediator position. The more experience you have with working with others, counseling and taking psych courses in college, the easier it is to find job openings that are right for you when you are going into law yourself.
Firm Consultant
Traveling is one of the major downfalls when taking on work as a firm consultant, especially if you are working independently or working to build the status of any firm you have been hired into. The average salary of a law firm consultant averages at about $83,000 annually. Working as a law firm consultant requires the ability to move around, meeting with clients in other cities and states to help with developing the right strategies for working attorneys. Firm consultants often have years of experience working in law or a background that is extensive educationally before getting hired into the position.
When you want to work as a firm consultant yourself for other law firms near you, it is important to ensure you have the right charisma skills and the ability to communicate with others, especially when first meeting with representatives from other law firms. Working as a firm consultant is a full-time job and often requires additional overtime, especially when traveling to meet with new firms that require your help and assistance. Because traveling is necessary as a consultant, it is important to consider this before taking on the job yourself.
The more time you spend with working with firm consultants on the job, talking with lawyers and understanding the legal process, the easier it becomes to coach others to help with boosting clientele and building reputations. Firm consultants are also experienced with running businesses and also working in marketing, making them ideal sales men and women. When you want to work as a consultant for a firm, it is important to consider your own experience with marketing and how you can incorporate that into your line of work. When you are up to date with the latest and most current trends in marketing and building the brand of law firms, it is much easier to find new professionals, clients and new law firms to work with for upcoming projects when you begin to consult on your own.
Jury Consultant
Jury consultants have an average salary of about $115,000 annual. Working as a jury consultant allows you to help with the selection of juries when the jury process begins for an upcoming trial. Working as a jury consultant requires a degree that is often in law. Although obtaining a degree in human behavior, psychology, sociology and other behavior-related categories is another way to potentially obtain a position. Having a degree in law is a way to find work as a jury consultant for government agencies and state agencies, especially if you have additional background with working in psychology or studying it yourself.
Law grads who are interested in becoming a jury consultant for any organization or industry are highly advised to minor in human behavior and psychology to help with expediting the process of obtaining the position. Although working as a jury consultant offers some of the best pay for law grads who are interested in alternate attorney positions, the work is often full-time, demanding and does require individuals working in the field to travel depending on the agency or firm you are working for each day. The work is also considered to be fast-paced, require individuals who are thinking of working as jury consultants to have a quick mind and wit when dealing with multiple cases simultaneously.
The more you understand about the various jobs available for those who have graduated with a law degree, the easier it is to find a position that is ideal for you after graduation. Whether you want to work in a courtroom as a defense lawyer or if you prefer working as a jury consultant in the legal system, there are plenty of options available to choose from with the route of obtaining a law degree. The more time you take to study law prior to graduating and choosing the path for you , the easier it is to select a career that is fitting and that meets the needs you have in terms of salary and the number of work hours you want to put in.
Most criminal justice careers require an associates, bachelors, or masters degree for employment. Because of modern internet technology, many students earn the degree they need for a criminal justice job by taking online courses. This can be done without quitting their present job or giving up family responsibilities.
Colorado Technical University (CTU) was founded in 1965. Its main campus is in Colorado Springs, CO. CTU is a private institution of higher learning which has other campuses in Denver, Pueblo, and Westminster. The university also has out of state campuses located in North Kansas City, MO, and Sioux Falls, SD.
Keiser University is a formerly for profit, presently private university founded as the Keiser School in 1977 by Arthur Keiser and his mother, Evelyn, in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The Keisers founded the school to assist in employment growth and training in business and healthcare communities in the region.
Columbia Southern University is a fully online educational institution. This school has open enrollment and offers flexible learning options to its students. It was founded by Dr. Robert G. Mayes, Sr. in Orange Beach, AL in 1993.
Virginia College is for profit educational institution founded in Roanoke, VA in 1983. Virginia College offers degrees related to specific careers and occupations. It is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. The College is focused on offering a career-focused program to students.
Everest University, formerly Florida Metropolitan University, was founded in 1999 with several campuses located across the state of Florida. As a for profit university, Florida Metropolitan University began in Tampa with five course offerings and rapidly expanded to many on campus and online campus programs by 2007. The university then became known as Everest University Online.
The University of Phoenix was founded by John Sperling within Phoenix, AZ in 1976. Sperling created the for profit institute for higher learning because “working adult students were often invisible on traditional campuses and treated as second class citizens.”
Portland State University is a public research university located in the southwest University District of downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall undergraduate and graduate enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, and is also the only public urban university in the state that is located in a major metropolitan city. Portland State offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, as well as doctorates in seventeen fields. Portland State is governed by a board of trustees.
Southern New Hampshire University, also known as SNHU, is a private, nonprofit, university situated between Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire. The university is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and has specialized accreditation for several of its schools and programs.
The Pennsylvania State University is a public, state research university with campuses and facilities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855, the university has a triple mission of teaching, research, and public service. Its teaching mission includes offering undergraduate, graduate, professional and continuing education programs through resident and online instruction.