Corporate Practice

Employers

• Any large corporation (largest number of attorneys are at corporate headquarters)

Information & Strategies

• Corporate office summer clerkships and entry-level positions are rare.
• Usually only experienced lawyers are hired by corporations.
• Develop tolerance for bureaucratic procedure.
• An undergraduate major in business, particularly accounting or finance, is helpful.

Federal Government

Employers

• Most government branches have legal counsel Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps for all branches of the military

Information & Strategies

• Get involved with an internship or co-op program with the federal government to get a foot in the door.
• New lawyers frequently go to court and litigate sooner; experience gained here can be valuable to private firms later.
• Government work offers a variety of practice opportunities from criminal to contacts.

Judicial Clerkships

• Federal court
• State court

Employers

• Federal courts of appeal and district court (trial) judges and magistrates, bankruptcy and administrative law judges
• State courts of appeal and trial level judges
• Federal and state court clerkships for collective judges in a court

Information & Strategies

• High academic achievement is emphasized by state and federal judges; federal judges usually require tip 10% or 15% class rank.
• Clerkships can be a stepping stone to other legal areas and provide many benefits for future career opportunities.
• For U.S. Supreme Court, applicants must be top law graduates with 1-2 years clerking at lower federal court.
• Moot court participation in regional and national competitions is helpful.
• Law review membership, as an indication of writing ability, is highly valued and emphasized at all court levels.

Politics

• Lobbing/Government relations
• Legislative positions

Employers

• Corporations
• Trade and professional associations
• Political action committees
• Law firms
• Public interest advocacy groups
• Congressional representatives at national, state, and local government

Information & Strategies

• A service-oriented attitude is helpful.
• Learn to enlist the help of others.
• Clerkship or summer associate positions with law firms providing lobbying services provide good experience.
• Demonstrate an interest in politics through your undergraduate major, active campaigning, or research papers/articles.
• Obtain law firm experience.
• Acquire superior writing skills.
• Develop a pleasing personality, enthusiasm, and high energy level.
• Show ability to work with people and good communication and organizational skills.
• Consider earning a master of public administration

Private Practice

Employers

• Large multi-office firms
• Medium-size firms
• Small firms
• Legal clinics
• Other private legal services

Information & Strategies

• Acquire excellent research and writing skills.
• Obtain clerkship or internships.
• Large and medium-size firms frequently emphasize grades and class rank, and value law review and moot court experience.

Public Interest Law

• Legal aid services
• Public defender offices
• Public interest groups

Employers

• Legal services corporation
• Legal aid society
• Federal, state, and local government
• Private groups contract
• Nonprofit and public interest organizations
• Law firms practicing public interest law

Information & Strategies

• Gain supervised work experience in an area through summer internships.
• Demonstrate a desire to help the economically disadvantaged and show an interest in law as a means of change.
• Volunteer for nonprofit organizations that serve a wide range of people.

Teaching

Employers

• Law schools
• Business schools
• Undergraduate departments of history and political science
• Paralegal schools

Information & Strategies

• Obtain several years of experience in private practice or government agency.
• The LLM degree and an outstanding academic record are required for law school teaching.
• Teaching allows for more flexibility of time.
• Some lawyers teach on an adjunct basis.

State & Local Government

• Criminal prosecution
• Civil law

Employers

• District attorney's office
• Attorney general's office
• State agencies, commissions, boards, executive and legislative office staff
• Local agencies and commissions
• City and county law offices

Information & Strategies

• Take essential courses related to criminal law, criminal procedure, constitutional law, and evidence.
• Participate in a criminal clinical program.
• Obtain summer positions in a prosecutor's office or a criminal litigation office or private firms practicing criminal law.
• Civil law deals with a broad range of subjects other than criminal matters and provides for a wide variety of functions including the opportunity to work with private lawyers and a variety of public officials.
• A demonstrated interest in public issues and completion of related internships are helpful.

Patent & Copyright Law

Employers

• Law firms (specialized)
• Corporations
• U.S. Patent & Trademark office

Information & Strategies

• This highly specialized area usually requires technical, science, or engineering degree. These lawyers help protect clients' claims to copyrights, inventions, software, etc.

Energy Law, Natural Resources & Environmental Law

Employers

• Law firms
• Corporations
• Federal agencies (especially Department of Energy)
• Environmental compliance services companies
• State agencies
• Regulatory commission

Information & Strategies

• This area involves rights to resources including those in the earth, and dangers in production of energy as well as transportation, taxation, patents, and government regulation.
• An undergraduate major in environmental science, agriculture, engineering, or science may be good preparation.

Financial Planning, Investment Banking, Estate Planning

Employers

• Bank trust departments
• Brokerage firms
• Insurance companies
• Development offices for preparatory schools, hospitals, and universities

Information & Strategies

• Insurance "estate planning" positions require interest and ability in sales.
• Bank trust department positions are good for those who do not want to litigate or be confrontational.
• An undergraduate major in accounting or finance may be helpful.

Legal Publishing/Journalism

Employers

• Legal publishers
• Print and electronic media

Information & Strategies

• Exhibit interest in writing, research, and editing for publishers.
• For national media, gain experience covering the law and politics.

Law Firm Administration

Employers

• Private law firms

Information & Strategies

• Handle office management, business development, clerk and attorney recruitment, clerkship programs, finances, and human resources in a law firm.

Higher Education Administration

Employers

• Law schools
• Universities and colleges

Information & Strategies

• Serve as a dean or director of academics, admissions, career services, records, alumni affairs, development, etc. in law schools.
• Work in judicial affairs, pre-law advising, or other undergraduate student support services.

Law Librarianship

Employers

• Law firms
• Law schools

Information & Strategies

• Master's in library or information science, in addition to a law degree, may be required for some positions.