Graduation season is now behind us. It’s a happy time, but one that can be associated with anxiety if you have not decided on a career or are seeking a summer job. In addition to becoming a lawyer, there are many law-related professions available.
Rather than starting the journey as I did, stripping and closing paper files in my father’s office, today’s newest lawyers may be scanning documents and entering data in the increasingly paperless office environment. Thus, computer skills and being comfortable with technology are essential for office jobs.
Even the traditional receptionist position (which many offices are abandoning in favor of automated answering services) require knowledge of telephone systems which allow for a variety of options, from call forwarding to convening conference calls to connecting with email accounts.
Most courts have adopted electronic filing of documents, which can be a curse and a blessing allowing last-minute filings but adding another nail to the coffin of the 9-to-5 workdays. Most courts also require electronic presentation of evidence. As a result, technology specialists in the courtroom are increasingly common, or at least a paralegal or other assistant who can download and display exhibits during the lawyer’s examination of witnesses or arguments.
One of the traditional law-related careers which is still in great demand is stenographer. A valuable tool in the “discovery” process, during which each side in a lawsuit is allowed to require the production of information available from the other side, is the deposition, during which lawyers question the other side’s witnesses. A skilled stenographer records and later transcribes every word, which can be used to educate other witnesses or cross-examine the witness being deposed during a trial.
This career has the advantages of being lucrative and allowing flexible schedules, but because it often involves medical or technical witnesses, spelling proficiency is an important skill. It is becoming increasingly common for depositions and other discovery events to be videotaped, and sometimes shown at trial, so aspiring filmmakers have a fantastic opportunity to support themselves in this way even if they aspire to a more creative career.
Another opportunity for people with creative abilities is the creation and presentation of illustrations or animations of events or details important to the case. These are what are known as “demonstrative” exhibits and may feature something such as a motor vehicle crash, a surgery, or a product failure.
An effective way to get a sense of the various jobs related to the legal profession is to wander through the exhibition hall at a legal convention. I attend at least one of these a year and am always amazed at the services available. Although credentials are usually required to enter, you can do so as a guest of someone with credentials.
This leads to another career opportunity—an event planner. There are a multitude of law-related groups; examples in New Hampshire alone are the New Hampshire Bar Association, the New Hampshire Association for Justice, the American Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, the New Hampshire Employment Lawyers’ Association and its related national group, the Workers’ Injury Law Group, the Defense Research Association, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
All of these associations have in-house staff but may also contract with independent groups which specialize in planning events. Although this area took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is currently thriving, and may be especially attractive if you like to travel.
A growing profession is trial consultants, which are professionals who help lawyers strategize on how to pick jurors who will judge the case fairly, and how to present witnesses and evidence in a way that is easy to understand and focuses on the strengths of the case.
Although some trial consultants have law degrees, backgrounds in psychology and sociology are most important. One of the most interesting classes I took in a continuing legal education program was taught by an actor, who led us through exercises in breathing and releasing our inhibitions.
Trial consultants are most important before trial, as one of the most important pretrial preparation activities these days is the “focus group” or “mock trial,” which were initially used by advertisers to improve their clients’ marketing strategies. These can take many forms, and can be virtual or live, requiring skills in statistics, data entry, psychology, event planning, videography (these are usually recorded) and many other areas.
Similar law career opportunities are available in the fields of corporate, real estate, tax, probate, and other forms of so-called “transactional” law, which is law that focuses on relationships between people and businesses outside of (or before getting to) the courtroom. There are also a multitude of opportunities for people who choose to get a law degree but either know in advance or decide later that they do not want to practice traditional law.
Unlike medicine or engineering, law does not require any particular courses or concentration in college or high school. It is also a field which you can start later in life. Many lawyers start their education after pursuing other careers, or raising a family, and several I know have gone on to become judges despite starting their law career late. And, as I hope you’ve seen, law has room for people with many different skills and interests. All it requires is a curiosity about learning new things, an excellent work ethic and respect for your employer, co-workers, and clients.
