5 careers for Law Graduates

A Law degree can take you down loads of different career paths, like being a lawyer or solicitor. Here are some of the typical and less traditional routes you can take.

Barrister
Represent clients in court.

A barrister is a type of lawyer. They specialise in advocacy - pleading the case of their client in front of a court.

Many barristers are self-employed and work in offices called Chambers. Some work at the employed bar for government departments or agencies, such as:

The Crown Prosecution Service
The Government Legal Profession

Barrister specialisms include:
Chancery Law (trusts and probate)
Commercial Law (business and financial disputes)
Civil Liberties and Human Rights
Employment Law
Family Law

To become a barrister, you'll need to study the postgraduate-level Bar Practice course.

Paralegal
Use your knowledge in a varied legal role.

Paralegals support other law professionals in a range of legal matters. They work in law firms, as well as public, private and not-for-profit organisations.

As a paralegal, you could find yourself performing tasks including:
preparation of legal documents
research
administration
providing quotes to clients and witnesses
going to court
handling client caseloads

Paralegals may specialise in a particular area of the law, such as:
Conveyancing
Dispute Resolution
Crime
Employment
Family
Litigation
Personal Injury
Wills

After graduating, a Specialist Paralegal Qualification (SPQ) will help you become a paralegal. You could spend time as a paralegal if you're hoping to become a solicitor.

Civil Service
Use your legal knowledge to impact society and government policy.

The Civil Service accepts law graduates hoping to develop their legal knowledge. You could find yourself working on high-profile cases which have an impact on society. You may also use your legal knowledge to help shape government policy.

Development programmes can help you gain experience across different government legal organisations. You could specialise in a particular area such as commercial or employment law.

You can also use your degree as a starting point for a career in Civil Service senior leadership. This is through the Civil Service Fast Stream Accelerated Leadership Development Programme.

Police Detective
Solve society's most challenging problems.

The National Detective Programme (NDP) offers graduates the opportunity to build a career in policing. The programme develops resilience, investigative and communication skills. This can help prepare you for a long-term future as a police detective.

As a police detective, you'll learn how to make an impact on the lives of people affected by crime. You'll deal with serious crimes, working to bring justice to victims.

Your legal knowledge will provide a basis to build on. The NDP will develop your skills to succeed in this rewarding role. You could also explore other options within the police and prison service.

Solicitor
Provide expert legal support and advice on a range of personal and commercial issues.

As a solicitor, you'll take instruction from clients and advise on courses of legal action. Clients can be individuals, groups, public sector organisations or private companies.

You might work on:
personal issues
buying and selling residential property
landlord and tenant agreements
wills and probate
divorce and family matters
personal injury claims and criminal litigation
commercial work
helping new enterprises get established
advising on complex corporate transactions (including mergers and acquisitions) and business-related disputes
protecting rights
making sure individuals are treated fairly and receive compensation if treated unfairly

Further education and professional development may be needed to become a solicitor.

Are you interested in any of these careers?