Naturally, a law degree can help launch a legal career. Though specialties may be decided and focused upon while still in school, lawyers may pursue specific areas of expertise after graduation. These include bankruptcy, estate planning, divorce, international or criminal law. Lawyers may argue criminal and civil cases before a judge and jury in court. Government-employed lawyers may work as prosecutors or public defenders, while private-practice attorneys take on cases paid for by clients.
A law degree can also be valuable for landing a job at a major company or corporation. Corporations often employ an in-house legal team of trusted and proven lawyers that can represent it in court. Whenever the company faces legal trouble, then it already has a team assembled. Lawyers employed by corporations represent the company as members of its private legal team.
The nuanced understanding of the legal system that comes with a law degree is useful for those considering careers in politics. This includes political careers at all levels, from lobbying to the presidency. Groups like political action committees, trade associations and corporations that need representation in Washington, D.C., employ those with legal backgrounds.
Though a law degree is useful in political careers, it alone is not necessarily enough to start a campaign for office. Becoming a politician may require not only a law degree, but also experience working for other politicians. This can include completing internships while in school, working on political campaigns, working in other administrations or even practicing law in a firm that specializes in political cases, like election law and voting rights. Though a law degree may not qualify you to run for political office, it can help you earn the experience you need in your field.
An annual average of 11 percent of law school grads seek nontraditional jobs, which are not directly related to practicing law. Many of the critical-thinking methods learned in law school are applicable to other fields, from administration to business, and a law school education can teach you the problem-solving skills required in professions outside the legal system. Mediators, for example, are contracted when two private parties wish to settle a dispute without going to court. They simply use their legal expertise to give advice on how to proceed in a fair and civil manner. Corporate investigators are hired by companies to conduct internal investigations into its employees.