| Topic Name: |
non law practice jobs with a JD |
| Message Name: |
Other careers |
| Date Posted: |
02/10/2000 |
| In Reply To: |
I'm interested in everybody's thoughts on the subject of options outside of law practice for someone with a JD.
I've heard many conflicting ideas on this subject and I'd like to hear people's thoughts.
I've heard that yes, you can do many things, such as, for example, work for a government agency, or a consulting firm, straight out of law school - and I mean work for those organizations in a capacity other than legal staff or counsel.
I've also heard that it's difficult to obtain jobs outside of law practice with a JD, because people in other fields are suspicious of someone who's trained at least 3 years for a specific line of work and then doesn't want to pursue that line of work, while I've also heard that to many, a JD is signifies strong analytical skills and a strong work ethic and makes someone with a JD very desirable as a hire.
Any thoughts on this subject would be much appreciated. |
| Message: |
I think it depends on whether or not you have practiced law yet or not. A lot of people would probably consider you a flake if you went to law school and then never practiced law (unless you went to a consulting firm or investment bank that hire lawyers from top schoos rights out of law school).
While I still practice law with a fairly large firm (450+ lawyers), I have had a number of offers to go into investment banking and also to jump to the business side. The business side offers made to me and lawyers I know usually come from people we have worked with or friends/contacts made through work. They usually have some legal aspect to them (like business development, jv or m&a type of work) at least initially, but aren't to practice law.
Contacts are the key. One of the junior partners from a firma friend of mine is at left to be the head of m&a for a public company he worked for and is now interim president of the company. Lots of lawyers jump to startups where they know people.
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