The career choices for individuals with law degrees are both exciting and plentiful. One fact of life is that people will always need lawyers. In addition to this, there are many areas of law in which a practicing attorney can specialize. And if that is not enough to get excited about the prospect of earning a law degree, there are great jobs other than attorney within the legal field.

Defense Attorney

As a defense attorney, it will be your job to represent individuals, groups, and organizations who are facing criminal prosecution. The job requires lots of legal research and the preparation of arguments to defend the interests of clients in court. The typical criminal defense attorney will work more than forty hours a week. Some of this work may also take place on weekends as some clients or firms will need to strategize and be available to work any day of the week. You will need a law degree and a passing score on a state bar exam before you begin practicing as a defense attorney.

Personal Injury Lawyer

The job of a personal injury lawyer is to secure compensation for clients who have suffered mental or physical injuries at the hands of other individuals or organizations. A personal injury attorney may take cases that involve medical malpractice, slips and falls, car accidents, and more. You need to have a law degree and pass the bar exam before you can begin your work as a personal injury attorney. Personal injury lawyers receive a percentage of the compensation awarded to their clients so the potential for good pay exists. The job also offers the reward of fighting for the rights of someone who has been harmed due to no fault of their own.

Real Estate Lawyer

You will serve two main functions in your duties as a real estate lawyer. The first is to handle the legal aspects of executing a client's real estate transaction. The second is to litigate on behalf of clients when a real estate deal turns sour. The day to day activities of most real estate lawyers includes negotiating deals, preparing and reviewing documents, and transferring property titles.

Paralegal

Paralegals are responsible for performing research and background work for lawyers. This could mean interviewing witnesses to an event, conducting legal research, collecting evidence, maintaining files, or a number of other vital tasks. Paralegals earn competitive wages and are not required to earn a law degree.

The legal profession offers jobs for all levels of ambition and personality types. The profession is both rewarding and respected by others. The four career choices above are excellent reasons to move forward if you have considered attending law school.

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