So, you’re interested in a law degree and you might have a decent idea of what you want to get out of that degree. That said, whether you’re already committed to going to law school or you’re still browsing all the options out there, there’s one thing to keep in mind that often goes overlooked - getting a law degree doesn’t mean you have to end up being a lawyer.
In fact, there are far more career options for law graduates than you might think. You might even be surprised how a law degree can help you out in certain roles. In this article, we’ve gathered together 10 jobs you can do with a law degree that don’t involve being a lawyer.
Building surveyor and facilities management
Perhaps not a set of career paths that immediately come to mind when you think of a law degree, but the roles of building surveyor and facilities management are quite commonly won by law graduates.
The building surveyor role involves designing buildings that comply with up to date accessibility standards, making a real difference by ensuring that new buildings or other constructions are accessible to those with disabilities while complying with all other legal standards.
With a facilities management role, you’ll be able to apply a wealth of knowledge into making sure that building and company standards are maintained and stay up to date with ever-changing regulations.
Investment banking and fund management
One of the more common career paths for law graduates is in the worlds of investment banking and fund management. These are jobs that will take stamina, negotiation skills, diplomacy and real intellectual tenacity - all of which are key skills of law students.
With a law degree, you’ll likely be able to find your way into investment banking roles in corporate finance, fund management and even private-client contact work, along with insurance broking and accountancy roles. All big business jobs with big business salaries, though these are typically some of the more competitive roles as well.
Tax consultant
Plenty of businesses out there are keen to find ways to use their money better, all while staying within the rules of the law. As a tax consultant, you’ll be able to offer advice to businesses or private clients on a contract basis, where you’ll have the opportunity to review finances and inform the client of their options.
The law is an ever-changing thing and particularly within the world of finance, it’s something that a lot of businesses feel out of the loop with, so having a dedicated and reliable tax consultant can be invaluable.
Journalist
The fast-paced world of journalism - online or print - lends itself incredibly well to a law graduate, particularly one who has developed a real skill in research and writing.
A law degree will also likely have trained you in interviewing subjects of all kinds as well as investigating details to a full extent, both key attributes for a good journalist.
It won’t be a simple career, a quick promotion path or even a high-paying job at first, but if your passion lies with telling real people’s stories, this might be the one for you.
Public relations
Public relations - or the more commonly known PR acronym - has become a highly sought-after career path in recent years, with the ever-increasing importance of online media and various forms of social media making the role of the PR Manager more important than ever before. Being responsible for the public image of a company, brand or figure takes a lot of courage but having a law degree behind you, alongside the skills to research and communicate excellently will make you an ideal candidate.
Teacher or other academia role
If you’ve found that you just can’t break away from the world of academia itself, you’ll be pleased to know that a law degree will give you the option of becoming a law professor at a university, though you may also need a Master's-level qualification to secure a job at that level.
Of course, you have the option of becoming a teacher at different levels and will be able to encourage others to study law as well as finding yourself in a career that might just be more rewarding than the one you originally planned for.
Compliance officer
A law degree can make you the ideal candidate for the role of compliance officer at a wide variety of companies.
Specifically, a compliance officer is responsible for a company’s financial conduct - making sure everything is being run according to rules and regulations along with ensuring that financial reporting is all up to legal standards. These jobs are often available in financial organisations and solicitor’s firms.
Editorial roles in legal publishing
Perhaps your law degree years spent typing away have given you a particular passion for the written word - in which case, you can seek out editorial roles within the realm of legal publishing.
This is a career that will make the most of your knowledge, experience and skills in roles as sub-editor, editor or commissioning manager at a variety of legal publishers.
Alternatively, you could look into a handful of training courses to give you a crash course in media and aim for a role as a content editor at non-legal publishers as well.
Chartered town planner
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) specifically recommends town planner for those with a law degree.
You’ll need to qualify as a town planner via an RTPI-accredited postgraduate degree, but once you’re past that point, you’ll open yourself up to a career that offers the responsibility to plan out various aspects of local business and other institutes. This is a role that will be best suited for those with key negotiation and communication skills in particular.
Politician
Of course, there’s always politics! A law degree, years of experience studying legal texts, local laws and spending a lot of time writing all lend themselves quite nicely to a career in politics. Just ask the prime minister...
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