So, you want to work in the legal field, eh? The thing is, when it comes to being an actual attorney, you’re not quite sure if that’s the right path for you. And yet, the challenge is with that fact that you’re not really sure what other options are available to you. The great news is that there are several of them and while being a lawyer is a respectable (and definitely the most popular) position to have, there are other definitely things that you can do in the legal field that can still provide you with a prosperous and fulfilling career:
Paralegal
Aside from being a lawyer or judge, probably the next most well-known legal profession is a paralegal. They are the individuals who assist attorneys when it comes to doing research for trials, interviewing clients, preparing documents, drafting reports and more.
Mediator
If you’ve ever witnessed an argument between two of your family members or friends, you might have been the person to come in and meditate; to listen to both sides and work towards finding a solution. In the legal world, a mediator basically does the same thing, only on a more corporate level. Basically, they work to help people come to a settlement that will keep both parties (or companies) out of the courtroom.
Court Reporter
Another term for these individuals is stenographer. They are the people who record speeches, testimonies, legal proceedings and statements and put them into transcript form. There is some extensive training that is involved with this kind of position because there is a certain kind of equipment that stenographers must use (that can type up to 200 words per minute).
Consultant
If you are someone who enjoys giving advice, perhaps being a consultant is something that you would like to do. In the legal field, there are different kinds of consulting that you can do. There are legal nurse consultants who are contracted by attorneys to provide information and counsel as it directly relates to medical issues. So, if you lived in Atlanta and had a car accident that resulted in a physical injury, a personal injury lawyer Atlanta may hire a legal nurse consultant in your case. There are trial consultants who are trained to use technology in a way that will help jurors to understand details in a trial more clearly. And, there are also jury consultants. The purpose of their job is to assist attorneys in understanding the body language, etc. of jurors so that lawyers can craft their arguments in ways that will sway the jurors in their direction.
Legal Secretary
Another fairly popular career within the legal field is that of a legal secretary. A legal secretary is technically an administrative assistant to a lawyer or a law firm. But, if you have ever worked as an administrative assistant in any field before, then you know that it’s a job with many demands and high expectations. From penning letters and scheduling meetings, to answering calls and emails and doing expense reports, a legal secretary, in many ways, is the glue that holds an attorney’s job together.
