The Multiple Avenues of Law

Contrary to popular belief, there is much more to a law degree than what meets the eye, reveals Nimi Jayachandran

Most students pursuing professional degrees do so with the intention of a career in the given field. However, today, it is not uncommon to see students pursuing a career in the circumference of their professional field, though not directly related to their field of study. One such example is seen in the trend of young law college graduates. Several law students today look at careers other than that of a lawyer – in politics, accounting, teaching and finance.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH A LAW DEGREE?
Once a law degree has been bestowed, there are quite a few options that can be considered. Many opt to take up internships or clerkships in the pursuit of preparing for a full-fledged career in law. Working under senior lawyers or in a private firm as an intern will offer the opportunity to see how a practice works, what the working hours are like and what the work itself is like. Along with this, it also offers a glimpse into that lifestyle. The advantage of this option is room for growth and learning without too much stress. While some choose hands-on experience, others prefer to take on higher education in law like master’s or doctorate degrees.
Another option is to start working directly once out of a professional law college. This is includes (but is not limited to) working for yourself, for the government, for a private company, for a business, or even in academia – teaching law.

WHY OPT FOR A NONTRADITIONAL LAW ROUTE?
There are many reasons as to why someone would choose to venture into a non-traditional career path after having worked so hard to obtain a law degree. Some people like the idea of doing something different, whereas others prefer the lifestyle that accompanies the jobs on this alternative road. Several others reroute because of the sheer fact that an overwhelming number of law students graduate each year, and it is not in their interest to compete for similar jobs. Ultimately, choosing to do something different with a law degree, though challenging, is definitely exciting. Truth be told, there are plenty of options available for those with a law degree.

WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE?
Law graduates can work in a variety of fields:

Business and legal careers
These are the career options that most law students will be familiar with. To be considered for these jobs, an applicant must have studied at least some law. The jobs could include anything from working as a paralegal to a project manager or a management consultant. The jobs in this field tend to be the ones which would’ve crossed your mind as you set yourself on the course to studying law.

Public sector and political careers
Law is the basic fundamental structure that builds the foundation of society. That said, it should be no surprise that lawyers are very much involved in all different areas of political and public sector careers. It should be noted that both Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, two great political-social activists, were lawyers first. With that in mind, some of the more important jobs which a law graduate can pursue in this field are various posts in the civil service, government research officer, public affairs consultant, political research assistant, health and safety inspector, trade union officer, etc.

Banking, finance and accounting
Many jobs in the world of finance and banking require a certain understanding of legal terms and concepts. This makes a career in this field ideal for law graduates who will be able to easily understand and grasp them. The following are all jobs which would be ideal for law graduates to pursue in this realm: chartered certified/management/public finance accountant, commodities broker, financial advisor/manager, insurance account manager, investment banker/fund manager, pension scheme manager, tax advisor/inspector, etc.

Teaching and academic careers
This is a perfect fit for anyone seeking a career in education as well as law. The obvious choice is to teach law students in a professional college, but in addition to that there are many more options including working as a career advisor to law students looking for ideas about what to pursue in the future. Having a law degree is not only helpful when teaching law, but is also helpful as an add on when applying for teaching jobs at primary, secondary and college levels.

Advertising, marketing and PR
While jobs in this field do not require any specific degree, a person who has a law degree always has the option of looking into legal-related jobs within this group. Press officers in public relations, and sales and promotion jobs all require a good knowledge of the legal system. Jobs in marketing, media buying or planning require a less extensive knowledge of the legal world, making them perfect for law graduates who don’t want to rely too much on their degrees.

Media
Media is such a vast entity; there are many opportunities and uses for a law degree in it. Working for legal publishers and industry publications demands that you have substantial knowledge of legal system workings, whereas other careers require great written and oral skills which you would’ve mastered during the course of your degree. Some exciting career opportunities in this field are broadcast journalist, editorial assistant, records manager, television production assistant and publishing rights manager. Since the media puts out so much material, all of which is required to be legally correct, there is always room for law graduates here.

APPROACH TO A NON-TRADITIONAL CAREER PATH
S. Vishaka is a final year law student at Saveetha College’s School of Law in Chennai who plans to pursue a career in chartered management accounting. She says, “More and more students are opting to pursue different things with a law degree. It’s a big responsibility and even a hassle to be involved in a traditional practice setting. Doing something different and something new in a field not immediately associated with law, yet still connected to it gives us a sense of freedom that isn’t normally experienced in a traditional setting. Not to mention that the excitement that comes with tackling challenges in a different environment is refreshing.”
The best approach to set yourself on a career path out of the standard is to actively look out for the field that excites you, and then figure out what kind of opportunities are available for someone with your qualifications. “Start small, maybe with an internship over the course of the summer holidays. Test the waters and see if you can see yourself pursuing this for the rest of your life. If you can, then look into what jobs are available for a graduate and take things from there,” says Vishaka. “Don’t lose heart if the first thing you try doesn’t work out. Just keep an eye out for different opportunities which excite you!” Take the risk and dive in. Good luck!

CAREERS WITH A LAW DEGREE
* Business
* Politics/public sector
* Banking/finance/accounting
* Teaching and education
* Media
* NGOs/charity/non-profit organisations
* Human resources
* Medicolegal