I'm a lawyer who has worked in alternative careers - first in the music industry, and then as a legal recruiter. I'm also the founder of JD Careers Out There ("JDCOT") and the JD Refugee® coaching programs. I've been helping lawyers with their careers since 2003.
For those who have the legal skill set and background but no longer want to practice law, there are plenty of alternative careers that can make a fulfilling fit. Like the video explains, it is common to find lawyers leaving law for alternative jobs in real estate, insurance, banking, finance, and legal tech. But you'll also find lawyers leaving law to work in a wide variety of other second careers for lawyers.
As the video says, I've filmed interviews with lawyers working in a wide variety of alternative career paths for lawyers: from public relations to compliance. In each video interview, the lawyers share what their alternative career paths are really like. They talk about a typical day, what skills and personality types best fit their path, how their law degrees help them, how to break in to those types of jobs and tips for success in second careers for lawyers.
You'll find those interviews in my YouTube playlist linked to below. The full-length versions of those interviews are available with my JD Refugee® coaching programs and a JDCOT subscription.
Why would lawyers leave the law for non-law careers? Practicing law isn't for everyone. Some people love law school but hate being a lawyer. Some love practicing law at first but, after a few years, become the burned out attorney they had always read about. Others hate law school from the get-go but stick with it because they don't know what else to do or fear being seen as a quitter.
In 2018, the media started paying more attention to the legal profession's problems of depression, substance abuse and suicide. The American Bar Association is also providing more resources in this area. These real problems plaguing the legal profession don't mean that being a lawyer is bad. Or that becoming a burned out attorney or wanting to leave law are signs of failure. They're not!
The reality is that the practice of law is not a good fit for everyone. There are a lot of unhappy lawyers out there. And when people discover that being a lawyer may not be a good fit for them, it then becomes important to explore what to do with a law degree beyond practicing law. After all, life is short. And being stuck in the wrong career fit day after day can drag down one's sanity and overall quality of life.
So that's where alternative careers for lawyers fit in to the picture. These are jobs that can benefit from the skill set that lawyers and law grads bring to the table. Are law degrees required for these jobs? Most likely no. Are employers specifically looking for lawyers for these jobs? Sometimes, but often they're not. Should one go to law school just to get these jobs? Most likely no.
But can a lawyer discover how they're a great fit for these jobs and convince an employer of the same so they can get hired? YES. Can a lawyer excel in these jobs thanks to the special bundle of skills they bring to the table? YES. Can a lawyer thrive as their skills, talents and interests are applied to a specific type of alternative work that they enjoy and that fits them? YES.
All of these topics are what I help unhappy lawyers with. For example, through my JD Refugee® programs, I help you step-by-step from figuring out what fits you to navigating your way into a new career path.
You can get help plus a taste of what it's like to work with me from my presentation on "How to Transition from Law to Fulfilling Alternative Careers" (link below). Even if you don't ever work with me, you'll still get a lot of value out of that presentation.
Wondering if there are more fulfilling career opportunities for you? Looking to finally start figuring it all out? Download and complete my free self-assessment for help taking your next steps: https://jdcareersoutthere.lpages.co/career-mirror/.
