When you think of jobs in the legal profession, you probably think of attorneys, judges, paralegals, and other jobs that deal directly with the practice of law. But law jobs include many different kinds of roles, from jury consultant to law firm administrator to bailiff.
If you have excellent problem-solving, analytical, and people skills—and a desire to help others by interpreting or upholding the law—you may find your next career in the legal field.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment in legal occupations is expected to grow 9% between 2020 and 2030. The median annual wage for these jobs is $82,430, nearly twice the median for all occupations.
Legal Industry Jobs
There are many people involved in the court system, from advocates to clerks to transcriptionists. Here’s a list of some of the most popular legal jobs, along with some job descriptions.
General Law Jobs
These are some of the first jobs that pop into people’s heads when they think of people who work in law.
Arbitrator
If both parties agree, an arbitrator can help settle a legal disagreement directly between parties, instead of going through the court system.
Attorney
Also known as lawyers, attorneys are advocates for their clients’ rights. This can involve everything from offering advice to creating or reviewing contracts to representing clients in court.
Case Manager
These roles are largely administrative. Case managers track paperwork, dates, and other important information about a case. This legwork helps attorneys focus on big-picture strategies.
Jury Consultant
Jury consultants, also known as trial consultants, help lawyers choose a jury that’s likely to return a verdict in their favor. They also prep witnesses, evaluate deposition transcripts, and organize mock trials.
Law Firm Administrator
The person in this role oversees the day-to-day operations of a firm.
Legal Analyst
These specialists work alongside lawyers. They may conduct research, gather evidence, or otherwise help attorneys build a case.
Legal Services Director
Legal services directors usually work for large organizations that include a legal department. They lead the legal department as it works toward the larger goals of the organization.
Mediator
Unlike a lawyer, a mediator is a neutral third party and doesn’t represent any one person involved in a legal matter. Mediators are non-biased negotiators for all parties involved in the dispute, and they work to resolve everyone’s issues and come to a mutual understanding and agreement without a judge or jury. They can work in legal administration, labor unions, and the arts, for instance. They can also specialize in a particular area, like divorce mediation.
Paralegal
Paralegals work under the supervision of attorneys and perform substantive legal work. In other words, a paralegal is far more than a lawyer’s assistant or case manager. Their work includes legal research and presentations, interviewing clients, drafting legal documents, and law office administration.
Court Positions
These are the people you’ll see working in court. Not all will take on as noticeable roles as a judge, for instance, but they’re all crucial to the day-to-day operations of a courtroom.
Bailiff
Bailiffs are officers of the court, responsible for keeping the courtroom safe. They escort people, including jurors and defendants, to and from the courtroom.
Court Advocate
A court advocate, or victim’s advocate, is trained to support crime victims. They may go to court with the victim, or they may help outside of court by providing information, emotional support, access to resources, or assistance with paperwork.
Some victim’s advocates run crisis hotlines, organize support groups, or provide counseling.
Court Messenger
As you might expect, people in this role are responsible for getting files, documents, and evidence where it needs to go.
Court Transcriptionist
Also called a court reporter, a court transcriptionist listens to oral testimony and turns it into an accurate written record. Court transcriptionists are usually stenographers who use a special machine to produce a transcript of the proceedings. However, they may also use a voice recorder which is a special mask allowing for narration into a computer that uses speech recognition software to create a transcript.
Judge
The judge presides over the court and ensures that the case proceeds in a fair, impartial, and just manner.
Litigation Docket Manager
A litigation docket manager manages an organization’s litigation docket file and records. They also ensure the calendar is regularly updated. They may also oversee the docketing database or train staff to manage it.
Magistrate
Magistrate judges are a part of the U.S. federal court system. They assist district court judges. There are also magistrate judges in state court systems, where they similarly serve a lower-level position.
Administrative Roles
Though these roles differ somewhat, they’re all similar in that they involve performing administrative tasks that keep the wheels of the legal system spinning.
Administrative assistantClerkCopy center professionalDocument coderFile clerkLegal assistantLegal secretaryMailroom personnelLegal records manager
Contract Positions and Other Miscellaneous Legal Careers
Contract administratorContract analystContract drafting legal specialistConsultantRegulatory affairs directorRight-of-way agentSoftware consultant
How To Get Legal Jobs
Invest in Education: Most legal jobs require specialized training and licensure; for example, attorneys must complete four years of an undergraduate degree plus three years of law school and pass the bar exam.Gain Work Experience: Internships and related on-the-job experience are valuable tools for securing a legal job, so be sure that your resume and cover letter reflect these qualifications.Emphasize Skills: In job interviews, resumes, and cover letters, highlight your analytical, writing, research, and related skills.
When you think of jobs in the legal profession, you probably think of attorneys, judges, paralegals, and other jobs that deal directly with the practice of law. But law jobs include many different kinds of roles, from jury consultant to law firm administrator to bailiff.
If you have excellent problem-solving, analytical, and people skills—and a desire to help others by interpreting or upholding the law—you may find your next career in the legal field.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment in legal occupations is expected to grow 9% between 2020 and 2030. The median annual wage for these jobs is $82,430, nearly twice the median for all occupations.
Legal Industry Jobs
There are many people involved in the court system, from advocates to clerks to transcriptionists. Here’s a list of some of the most popular legal jobs, along with some job descriptions.
General Law Jobs
These are some of the first jobs that pop into people’s heads when they think of people who work in law.
Arbitrator
If both parties agree, an arbitrator can help settle a legal disagreement directly between parties, instead of going through the court system.
Attorney
Also known as lawyers, attorneys are advocates for their clients’ rights. This can involve everything from offering advice to creating or reviewing contracts to representing clients in court.
Case Manager
These roles are largely administrative. Case managers track paperwork, dates, and other important information about a case. This legwork helps attorneys focus on big-picture strategies.
Jury Consultant
Jury consultants, also known as trial consultants, help lawyers choose a jury that’s likely to return a verdict in their favor. They also prep witnesses, evaluate deposition transcripts, and organize mock trials.
Law Firm Administrator
The person in this role oversees the day-to-day operations of a firm.
Legal Analyst
These specialists work alongside lawyers. They may conduct research, gather evidence, or otherwise help attorneys build a case.
Legal Services Director
Legal services directors usually work for large organizations that include a legal department. They lead the legal department as it works toward the larger goals of the organization.
Mediator
Unlike a lawyer, a mediator is a neutral third party and doesn’t represent any one person involved in a legal matter. Mediators are non-biased negotiators for all parties involved in the dispute, and they work to resolve everyone’s issues and come to a mutual understanding and agreement without a judge or jury. They can work in legal administration, labor unions, and the arts, for instance. They can also specialize in a particular area, like divorce mediation.
Paralegal
Paralegals work under the supervision of attorneys and perform substantive legal work. In other words, a paralegal is far more than a lawyer’s assistant or case manager. Their work includes legal research and presentations, interviewing clients, drafting legal documents, and law office administration.
Court Positions
These are the people you’ll see working in court. Not all will take on as noticeable roles as a judge, for instance, but they’re all crucial to the day-to-day operations of a courtroom.
Bailiff
Bailiffs are officers of the court, responsible for keeping the courtroom safe. They escort people, including jurors and defendants, to and from the courtroom.
Court Advocate
A court advocate, or victim’s advocate, is trained to support crime victims. They may go to court with the victim, or they may help outside of court by providing information, emotional support, access to resources, or assistance with paperwork.
Some victim’s advocates run crisis hotlines, organize support groups, or provide counseling.
Court Messenger
As you might expect, people in this role are responsible for getting files, documents, and evidence where it needs to go.
Court Transcriptionist
Also called a court reporter, a court transcriptionist listens to oral testimony and turns it into an accurate written record. Court transcriptionists are usually stenographers who use a special machine to produce a transcript of the proceedings. However, they may also use a voice recorder which is a special mask allowing for narration into a computer that uses speech recognition software to create a transcript.
Judge
The judge presides over the court and ensures that the case proceeds in a fair, impartial, and just manner.
Litigation Docket Manager
A litigation docket manager manages an organization’s litigation docket file and records. They also ensure the calendar is regularly updated. They may also oversee the docketing database or train staff to manage it.
Magistrate
Magistrate judges are a part of the U.S. federal court system. They assist district court judges. There are also magistrate judges in state court systems, where they similarly serve a lower-level position.
Administrative Roles
Though these roles differ somewhat, they’re all similar in that they involve performing administrative tasks that keep the wheels of the legal system spinning.
Administrative assistantClerkCopy center professionalDocument coderFile clerkLegal assistantLegal secretaryMailroom personnelLegal records manager
Contract Positions and Other Miscellaneous Legal Careers
Contract administratorContract analystContract drafting legal specialistConsultantRegulatory affairs directorRight-of-way agentSoftware consultant
How To Get Legal Jobs
Invest in Education: Most legal jobs require specialized training and licensure; for example, attorneys must complete four years of an undergraduate degree plus three years of law school and pass the bar exam.Gain Work Experience: Internships and related on-the-job experience are valuable tools for securing a legal job, so be sure that your resume and cover letter reflect these qualifications.Emphasize Skills: In job interviews, resumes, and cover letters, highlight your analytical, writing, research, and related skills.
When you think of jobs in the legal profession, you probably think of attorneys, judges, paralegals, and other jobs that deal directly with the practice of law. But law jobs include many different kinds of roles, from jury consultant to law firm administrator to bailiff.
If you have excellent problem-solving, analytical, and people skills—and a desire to help others by interpreting or upholding the law—you may find your next career in the legal field.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment in legal occupations is expected to grow 9% between 2020 and 2030. The median annual wage for these jobs is $82,430, nearly twice the median for all occupations.
Legal Industry Jobs
There are many people involved in the court system, from advocates to clerks to transcriptionists. Here’s a list of some of the most popular legal jobs, along with some job descriptions.
General Law Jobs
These are some of the first jobs that pop into people’s heads when they think of people who work in law.
Arbitrator
If both parties agree, an arbitrator can help settle a legal disagreement directly between parties, instead of going through the court system.
Attorney
Also known as lawyers, attorneys are advocates for their clients’ rights. This can involve everything from offering advice to creating or reviewing contracts to representing clients in court.
Case Manager
These roles are largely administrative. Case managers track paperwork, dates, and other important information about a case. This legwork helps attorneys focus on big-picture strategies.
Jury Consultant
Jury consultants, also known as trial consultants, help lawyers choose a jury that’s likely to return a verdict in their favor. They also prep witnesses, evaluate deposition transcripts, and organize mock trials.
Law Firm Administrator
The person in this role oversees the day-to-day operations of a firm.
Legal Analyst
These specialists work alongside lawyers. They may conduct research, gather evidence, or otherwise help attorneys build a case.
Legal Services Director
Legal services directors usually work for large organizations that include a legal department. They lead the legal department as it works toward the larger goals of the organization.
Mediator
Unlike a lawyer, a mediator is a neutral third party and doesn’t represent any one person involved in a legal matter. Mediators are non-biased negotiators for all parties involved in the dispute, and they work to resolve everyone’s issues and come to a mutual understanding and agreement without a judge or jury. They can work in legal administration, labor unions, and the arts, for instance. They can also specialize in a particular area, like divorce mediation.
Paralegal
Paralegals work under the supervision of attorneys and perform substantive legal work. In other words, a paralegal is far more than a lawyer’s assistant or case manager. Their work includes legal research and presentations, interviewing clients, drafting legal documents, and law office administration.
Court Positions
These are the people you’ll see working in court. Not all will take on as noticeable roles as a judge, for instance, but they’re all crucial to the day-to-day operations of a courtroom.
Bailiff
Bailiffs are officers of the court, responsible for keeping the courtroom safe. They escort people, including jurors and defendants, to and from the courtroom.
Court Advocate
A court advocate, or victim’s advocate, is trained to support crime victims. They may go to court with the victim, or they may help outside of court by providing information, emotional support, access to resources, or assistance with paperwork.
Some victim’s advocates run crisis hotlines, organize support groups, or provide counseling.
Court Messenger
As you might expect, people in this role are responsible for getting files, documents, and evidence where it needs to go.
Court Transcriptionist
Also called a court reporter, a court transcriptionist listens to oral testimony and turns it into an accurate written record. Court transcriptionists are usually stenographers who use a special machine to produce a transcript of the proceedings. However, they may also use a voice recorder which is a special mask allowing for narration into a computer that uses speech recognition software to create a transcript.
Judge
The judge presides over the court and ensures that the case proceeds in a fair, impartial, and just manner.
Litigation Docket Manager
A litigation docket manager manages an organization’s litigation docket file and records. They also ensure the calendar is regularly updated. They may also oversee the docketing database or train staff to manage it.
Magistrate
Magistrate judges are a part of the U.S. federal court system. They assist district court judges. There are also magistrate judges in state court systems, where they similarly serve a lower-level position.
Administrative Roles
Though these roles differ somewhat, they’re all similar in that they involve performing administrative tasks that keep the wheels of the legal system spinning.
Administrative assistantClerkCopy center professionalDocument coderFile clerkLegal assistantLegal secretaryMailroom personnelLegal records manager
Contract Positions and Other Miscellaneous Legal Careers
Contract administratorContract analystContract drafting legal specialistConsultantRegulatory affairs directorRight-of-way agentSoftware consultant
How To Get Legal Jobs
Invest in Education: Most legal jobs require specialized training and licensure; for example, attorneys must complete four years of an undergraduate degree plus three years of law school and pass the bar exam.Gain Work Experience: Internships and related on-the-job experience are valuable tools for securing a legal job, so be sure that your resume and cover letter reflect these qualifications.Emphasize Skills: In job interviews, resumes, and cover letters, highlight your analytical, writing, research, and related skills.
When you think of jobs in the legal profession, you probably think of attorneys, judges, paralegals, and other jobs that deal directly with the practice of law. But law jobs include many different kinds of roles, from jury consultant to law firm administrator to bailiff.
If you have excellent problem-solving, analytical, and people skills—and a desire to help others by interpreting or upholding the law—you may find your next career in the legal field.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment in legal occupations is expected to grow 9% between 2020 and 2030. The median annual wage for these jobs is $82,430, nearly twice the median for all occupations.
Legal Industry Jobs
There are many people involved in the court system, from advocates to clerks to transcriptionists. Here’s a list of some of the most popular legal jobs, along with some job descriptions.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment in legal occupations is expected to grow 9% between 2020 and 2030. The median annual wage for these jobs is $82,430, nearly twice the median for all occupations.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment in legal occupations is expected to grow 9% between 2020 and 2030. The median annual wage for these jobs is $82,430, nearly twice the median for all occupations.
General Law Jobs
These are some of the first jobs that pop into people’s heads when they think of people who work in law.
Arbitrator
If both parties agree, an arbitrator can help settle a legal disagreement directly between parties, instead of going through the court system.
Attorney
Also known as lawyers, attorneys are advocates for their clients’ rights. This can involve everything from offering advice to creating or reviewing contracts to representing clients in court.
Case Manager
These roles are largely administrative. Case managers track paperwork, dates, and other important information about a case. This legwork helps attorneys focus on big-picture strategies.
Jury Consultant
Jury consultants, also known as trial consultants, help lawyers choose a jury that’s likely to return a verdict in their favor. They also prep witnesses, evaluate deposition transcripts, and organize mock trials.
Law Firm Administrator
The person in this role oversees the day-to-day operations of a firm.
Legal Analyst
These specialists work alongside lawyers. They may conduct research, gather evidence, or otherwise help attorneys build a case.
Legal Services Director
Legal services directors usually work for large organizations that include a legal department. They lead the legal department as it works toward the larger goals of the organization.
Mediator
Unlike a lawyer, a mediator is a neutral third party and doesn’t represent any one person involved in a legal matter. Mediators are non-biased negotiators for all parties involved in the dispute, and they work to resolve everyone’s issues and come to a mutual understanding and agreement without a judge or jury. They can work in legal administration, labor unions, and the arts, for instance. They can also specialize in a particular area, like divorce mediation.
Paralegal
Paralegals work under the supervision of attorneys and perform substantive legal work. In other words, a paralegal is far more than a lawyer’s assistant or case manager. Their work includes legal research and presentations, interviewing clients, drafting legal documents, and law office administration.
Court Positions
These are the people you’ll see working in court. Not all will take on as noticeable roles as a judge, for instance, but they’re all crucial to the day-to-day operations of a courtroom.
Bailiff
Bailiffs are officers of the court, responsible for keeping the courtroom safe. They escort people, including jurors and defendants, to and from the courtroom.
Court Advocate
A court advocate, or victim’s advocate, is trained to support crime victims. They may go to court with the victim, or they may help outside of court by providing information, emotional support, access to resources, or assistance with paperwork.
Some victim’s advocates run crisis hotlines, organize support groups, or provide counseling.
Court Messenger
As you might expect, people in this role are responsible for getting files, documents, and evidence where it needs to go.
Some victim’s advocates run crisis hotlines, organize support groups, or provide counseling.
Some victim’s advocates run crisis hotlines, organize support groups, or provide counseling.
Court Transcriptionist
Also called a court reporter, a court transcriptionist listens to oral testimony and turns it into an accurate written record. Court transcriptionists are usually stenographers who use a special machine to produce a transcript of the proceedings. However, they may also use a voice recorder which is a special mask allowing for narration into a computer that uses speech recognition software to create a transcript.
Judge
The judge presides over the court and ensures that the case proceeds in a fair, impartial, and just manner.
Litigation Docket Manager
A litigation docket manager manages an organization’s litigation docket file and records. They also ensure the calendar is regularly updated. They may also oversee the docketing database or train staff to manage it.
Magistrate
Magistrate judges are a part of the U.S. federal court system. They assist district court judges. There are also magistrate judges in state court systems, where they similarly serve a lower-level position.
Administrative Roles
Though these roles differ somewhat, they’re all similar in that they involve performing administrative tasks that keep the wheels of the legal system spinning.
- Administrative assistantClerkCopy center professionalDocument coderFile clerkLegal assistantLegal secretaryMailroom personnelLegal records manager
Contract Positions and Other Miscellaneous Legal Careers
- Contract administratorContract analystContract drafting legal specialistConsultantRegulatory affairs directorRight-of-way agentSoftware consultant
How To Get Legal Jobs
Invest in Education: Most legal jobs require specialized training and licensure; for example, attorneys must complete four years of an undergraduate degree plus three years of law school and pass the bar exam.Gain Work Experience: Internships and related on-the-job experience are valuable tools for securing a legal job, so be sure that your resume and cover letter reflect these qualifications.Emphasize Skills: In job interviews, resumes, and cover letters, highlight your analytical, writing, research, and related skills.
How To Get Legal Jobs
Invest in Education: Most legal jobs require specialized training and licensure; for example, attorneys must complete four years of an undergraduate degree plus three years of law school and pass the bar exam.Gain Work Experience: Internships and related on-the-job experience are valuable tools for securing a legal job, so be sure that your resume and cover letter reflect these qualifications.Emphasize Skills: In job interviews, resumes, and cover letters, highlight your analytical, writing, research, and related skills.
Invest in Education: Most legal jobs require specialized training and licensure; for example, attorneys must complete four years of an undergraduate degree plus three years of law school and pass the bar exam.
