Alternative Career Options after Law
Law is an emerging field in terms of career prospects. There are many alternative career options after pursuing Law. Here you can get a detailed description about them.
A career in Law has been popular among the youth for a long time and now with the increase in alternative career options, it has become easier to make a career of one's own choice. Actually, due to the legal complexities and expansion of society, the demand for Law experts has increased everywhere. Besides, every day due to some new discovery or technological development, the need for amendments in old and existing laws is also felt. The youth, however, no longer want to see themselves in the role of just a Lawyer or a Judge. This is the reason why new career options are emerging rapidly in the field of Law. If you are a Law graduate aspiring to do something different from the traditional career, you can know more about such options here.
1) Legal Start ups
This is an exciting time for entrepreneurs in the field of Law. Today's young Law graduates are uniquely prepared to start a company with their own knowledge, superior research potential and excellent communication skills. All they need is a business idea, which can form the basis of their new venture. At present, legal entrepreneurship is an emerging field, with many opportunities for the youth in the years to come. The only condition is that one should have leadership skills, problem solving skills and the ability to envision the future. The person who can inspire others from employees and investors to customers can definitely make a mark in this field. Legal entrepreneurship is also dominated by legal tech startups, not only in the world but also in the country. If you have a business idea that has potential to solve people's problems, then you should definitely consider a legal venture.
2) NGOs
The world of NGOs is vast and the work there is diverse. Before entering this field, you should do a personal assessment and field survey to find out which sector you would like to work for. Then, you should focus on the skills that will help you get the right job. Typically, the job of a lawyer working with an NGO has three aspects: research, advocacy and litigation. If you want to work for one of these, it is a must to pass the bar exam. Although Human Rights Law is currently a minority sector in India, but there is immense scope for those working in it. This sector usually requires people who have a passion to make India a better place to live in. This is definitely the best option for those who are adventurous and want to do something meaningful in their life.
3) United Nations
If you want to raise your voice for different issues of the world, you can find jobs in different sections of the United Nations such as Human Rights, Political Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs and Investigation. These streams are most sought-after for candidates having legal background. In addition, there are various employment/dispute resolution tribunals in the United Nations, such as the United Nations Disputes Tribunal and the United Nations Appellate Tribunal, where there are lucrative opportunities for law experts. Not only this, the organization has also created various standalone tribunals for cases related to attempted war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of International Law such as ICTY, ICTR and ICC. Working in all these tribunals and courts often requires legal analysis, writing, drafting and litigation, which makes this organization ideal for candidates seeking a career in the field of Law. Talking about the recruitment process, it varies according to the jobs/contracts. Some positions are advertised internally, while others are for those who are already members of the United Nations roster. To become a member of the roster, one has to appear in a written test and interview. Apart from this, membership has to be renewed every two-three year.
4) Legal Journalism
Journalism is also a good alternative career for Law graduates. Media organizations often hire lawyers as court reporters who can report on specific legal matters, have a good understanding of the Law and can offer a better perspective when interpreting a case. There is no doubt that legal expertise sets you apart from other journalists. Journalists with a Law degree do not require any additional training to report on legal issues as a law graduate usually has all the qualities required to become a journalist. Just as the job of a lawyer is to explain the crime, the job of a journalist is to bring an incident to the world. Although legal journalism is not a very lucrative field in itself, but if you have the will and perseverance, you can bring truth to the world and change in the society.
5) Academia
If you like to study Law, then you can make a career in academia as well. Today legal teaching is one of the most rewarding careers both in terms of job challenge and monetary benefits. Generally, to become an Assistant Professor in universities or institutes, a candidate must have an LLM degree with at least 55% marks and must have passed NET. However, if an applicant has a PhD degree, he/she may be exempted from the minimum eligibility condition of NET. Whereas PhD degree is an essential qualification for getting direct appointment to the post of Professor. As per the rules and regulations of UGC, Assistant Professor with PhD qualification can get promotion as Associate Professor after 12 years of service. For those who love the nuances of Law and are willing to pass on their knowledge to the next generation of lawyers, teaching Law can be a rewarding and satisfying experience.
