Law degrees offer range of career path options

South Texas College of Law Houston's library is a gathering place for students. South Texas College of Law Houston's library is a gathering place for students. Photo: Chris Shinn Photo: Chris Shinn Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Law degrees offer range of career path options 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

If the courtroom isn't your dream job setting after completing a law degree, what are the career options? Believe it or not, there are plenty to choose from.

Nikki Wright-Smith, Esq., assistant dean of career services at Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, said graduates can choose careers in human resources, ethics and compliance, education, recruiting, and real estate.

She also said handling situations such as corporate agreements and even sports contracts are possible.

"You can see a little bit of everything," Wright-Smith said. "Having a J.D. covers a lot of bases. There are a lot of areas where you can work one on one with clients. Having this degree makes them more marketable with a certain background knowledge, as they can speak that language. There are a lot of students with science, nursing and English backgrounds."

According to LawCrossing.com's article, "60 Nontraditional Jobs You Can Do with a Law Degree and Should Strongly Consider Doing," careers include politician, arbitrator, law professor, policy analyst, journalist, banker, legal recruiter, entertainment agent, lobbyist, contracts administrator and labor negotiator.

Tiffany J. Tucker, J.D., M.Ed., assistant dean of career development at the University of Houston Law Center, said a law degree offers the potential to propel a career path and advance candidates in management and promotion opportunities.

Exceptional writing and analytical skills, leadership and advocacy skills, written and oral communication, critical thinking and management skills all encompass the experiences law graduates learn during their educational journey, Tucker said.

"A candidate with a legal education can help organizations interpret statutes and comply with federal, state and local regulations, which helps achieve business objectives," Tucker said. "Law graduates are trained to spot multi-layered issues and solve complex problems. Employers benefit from placing them in key positions within their organizations to effectively manage personnel and projects for the benefit of the entire organization."

Alicia Cramer, assistant dean of admissions at South Texas College of Law Houston, said that regardless of the industry, a law degree has the potential to catapult one's career from a unrewarding job to a high-demand, meaningful and well-compensated vocation.

"The way you are taught to approach a challenge in law school enables graduates to bring a more global perspective to their work, whether in a law firm or a corporate environment," Cramer said.

To be successful in the current job market, it is often essential to incorporate knowledge and perspective from a variety of professional and academic fields, Cramer added.

"With law school graduates' specialized knowledge, experience and critical-thinking skills, they may follow their passions and work in leadership roles in a myriad of industries. A J.D. gives them the ability credentials and confidence to impact change in their chosen fields," Cramer said.