|
|
|
Jewish World Review June 27, 2006 / 1 Tamuz, 5766 Escape hatches for unhappy lawyers By Marty Nemko
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
I recently received this letter:
Dear Dr. Nemko,
I would imagine that my problem is fairly common. I am a young attorney who is $100,000 dollars in debt, but not so sure I want to continue in the practice of law. I am looking for career options so that my education will be utilized. What are some smart choices?
— Patrick C. (last name withheld)
Alas, Patrick, your situation is most common indeed. Studies find that 75% of lawyers are unhappy practicing law.
Here are some law-related careers that generally yield greater satisfaction. These are drawn primarily from The Lawyer's Career Change Handbook: More Than 300 Things You Can Do with a Law Degree by Hindi Greenberg and What Can You Do With a Law Degree by Deborah Arron.
Alternative Dispute Resolution. Lots of organizations — corporations, non-profits, government agencies, hospitals, prisons, media organizations, and unions — employ people to resolve disputes out of court. They hire mediators and ombudspeople who facilitate decisions but don't make the decision, and arbitrators who do. Competition for such jobs, however, is fierce. To get hired, you'll probably need additional training in mediation. You'll also have to develop relationships with people in a position to hire you or refer clients, such as judges and higher-ups in human resource departments of large organizations. Even after all that, you'll probably have to start as a volunteer. For more tips, check the mediation section of your local and state bar association.
Consultant to smaller organizations. Some companies are too small to have in-house counsel. So they need consulting help, for example, to ensure their policies, employee manual, and practices are complying with OSHA, EEOC, ADA, SOX, employment law, and other government mandates. Your consultancy might also include training staff on how to improve compliance and perhaps rewrite employer documents such as employee handbooks and standard contracts.
Risk manager. Typical issue: The screw cap on five percent of 1,000,000 quart bottles of oil are defective, but it's impossible to know which five percent. Do you recall all 1,000,000? Government agencies, universities and hospitals also hire risk managers.
Non-lawyer work for law firm. Examples include; law firm manager, client services manager, director of training, communications manager, personnel recruiter, marketing/PR director, even image (looks, demeanor, communication style) manager.
Law librarian. Bigger firms, corporations, and universities use them. Most jobs require a one-to-two year masters of library science.
Legal instructor. It's tough to land a job as a law school professor, but consider other legal teaching options: teach continuing education in law firms, at bar associations, or for-profit companies. Or teach at a school that trains paralegals, legal assistants, or court reporters. At a community college, lawyers teach such courses as business law, ethics, real estate law and criminal justice. You might even create an online version of your training and sell it to law firms to use as continuing ed.
Administrator at a law school. They hire lawyers as admissions officer, director of student affairs, alumni relations, career advisor, and development professional (fundraiser).
Work at a bar association. They employ lawyers as director of continuing education, complaint reviewer, disciplinary proceeding prosecutor, supervisor of community service efforts, membership director, and public affairs specialist.
Writer or editor. Look into legal publications-both print and online-along with book publishers such as Nolo Press.
Producer or host of legal TV or radio show.
Lobbyist. You draft, monitor, and shepherd legislation, usually on behalf of a special interest group.
Courts. These organizations hire a surprising number of lawyers as researchers, administrators, even bailiffs (with some police training.)
Nonprofit employee. Lawyers are frequently hired in development (fundraising), especially planned giving.
Provide a service or product to law firms, for example, computer systems, management consulting, insurance. For other ideas, check out the display ads in legal publications.
Legal videographer (depositions, will signings, accident scenes)
Spokesperson/public affairs representative. Work for a company, nonprofit, or government agency.
Headhunter. Specialize — no surprise — in attorneys.
Agent. You negotiate deals for artists, writers, performers, or athletes.
Elected official. Many if not most politicians were lawyers.
Staffer for an elected official. You could research legislation, schedule the pol's time, or even run their campaign.
Ethics director at a company, university, hospital, or government agency.
Foreign service officer. You'll move around a lot — typically two years in a random country, then two years in another random country. And it can take a decade until you're allowed to settle down. But the travel and real-world education can be fascinating, not to mention the language training. Bantu, anyone?
Special agent with the FBI, CIA, DEA, or Dept. of Justice.
Grant proposal writer. So much government and foundation money is distributed through a grant proposal process. Want to write them?
Career coach to lawyers. I have more lawyer clients than belong to any other profession. Perhaps that's because there are so many unhappy lawyers.
For stories of lawyers who have found greener pastures outside the law, see Nonlegal Careers for Lawyers (4th ed.) by Gary Munneke and William Henslee.
WITHIN THE LAW
If you are experienced but without a book of business, consider small law firms or government agencies, and not just the Dept. of Justice. Many federal, state, and local agencies also hire lawyers in departments that oversee, for example, consumer affairs, health, and real estate.
Solo practice is especially workable in a rural area, where you're a bigger fish in a little pond. Your chances of success also increase if you rent a desk in an existing law firm or set up shop adjacent to a business that might offer potential for cross-referral, for example, an accounting firm or insurance brokerage.
Here are four other ways to practice law that many unhappy barristers prefer:
Go in-house. Being employed as a lawyer by a corporation or nonprofit may be less stressful than for a law firm. For example, you usually don't have to log billable hours. Check out the in-house section of your local bar association.
Work for a Legal Aid Society. Most major cities offer free legal services to the poor. Legal Aid Societies hire attorneys both as staff lawyers and as administrators.
Policy and planning attorneys review or draft legislation for a nonprofit or the government.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
400+ of Dr. Nemko's published writings are on www.martynemko.com. Comment by clicking here. © 2006, Dr. Marty Nemko |
Arnold Ahlert | |||||||||||||||||
Click 
