Yeah! Leaning Out: Why I'm Ditching Law For One of These Five Alt-Career Options

When I first decided to study law, I thought it was the only option I had — or, more accurately, the only option that had my parents’ approval. But now that I’m working in private practice and on the brink of making partners at my firm, I’m finally going to do what so many 20-somethings are doing these days: lean out of law and pursue one of these five alternative careers instead. Here are my thoughts on why each of them might be the perfect next step after law school…and why maybe law wasn’t such a bad idea after all!

5 alternative career options for lawyers

Entrepreneur – Spending your days chasing and creating the next great invention is challenging, but also extremely rewarding. If you’re considering going into law for the money, go for this instead.
Educator – Not all schools are created equal, and most teachers put in more hours than what you’ll find in a 9 to 5 office job. It can take a while to land a teaching gig, but those who make it through reap big rewards by changing lives daily
Philanthropist – You won’t be getting rich off this line of work, but your salary will be increased just by being able to experience so many amazing things daily as you raise funds for causes that are near and dear to your heart.
Writer – Not all writers get published, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a rewarding career to follow. Freelance writing can be a great option if you’re more comfortable with pen and paper than sharing your work in an office setting.
Life Coach – Getting paid to share your knowledge with others is a great way to pay your bills while enjoying yourself and making an impact on people’s lives. With a life coach certificate, you’ll be able to add ‘coach’ to your CV.

Marketing Manager

Working as a marketing manager in a small or medium-sized company is one way to make this switch. Many people assume marketing managers are needed only by large corporations, but that’s not the case. One survey revealed an estimated 69% of marketing managers work for companies with less than 1,000 employees. The goal of the marketing manager is to ensure that customers find the company’s products and services when they are searching online.

This means using search engine optimization techniques to make sure a business appears high in the search results on popular search engines like Google. That’s just one example; there are plenty more options for professionals who want to leave law behind and try something new like real estate investing or tech consulting.

Digital Marketing Analyst

I studied law and then realized it was one of the most grueling jobs you can take on. So, after some soul searching, I decided to go in a different direction. That’s when I discovered digital marketing. Digital marketing pays great, is accessible to anybody with a high school diploma, and comes with more perks than my old job. Plus, it seemed like everyone had advice for me that started with leaving law because they knew how bad lawyers have it!

Paralegal

As a paralegal, your primary responsibility is to help the attorneys by locating and assembling documents that they will need for their cases. Typically, you’ll have a lot of administrative tasks to take care of as well such as getting signatures and printing off copies. Occasionally, you may also help draft pleadings or other legal paperwork.

Paralegals are in high demand right now because their skillset overlaps with many other professions including human resources, communications, and customer service just to name a few. Although paralegals typically have an administrative background they often come from an array of undergraduate degrees including communications, law or public policy, psychology, political science, or sociology.

Creative Director

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, if we want to live on a healthy planet and successfully face climate change and other environmental issues, we need environmentally literate leaders in every sector. A graduate degree in environmental science or environmental engineering can lead to an enviable position as an environmental consultant.

As an independent contractor for a wide range of industries, your job is to advise them on how they can integrate a more green business model into their operations.

Environmental Consultant

An environmental consultant is someone who evaluates or implements measures to reduce the negative impact of human activity on the environment. Environmental consultants are in charge of implementing sustainability plans and projects.

As an environmental consultant, you would help people make better decisions about what their carbon footprint looks like – from their car’s emissions to their morning coffee routine. That way, everyone will be contributing to a cleaner environment for future generations.

Keep browsing Law Scribd for more updates.