Congratulations. You’re ready to kickstart your legal career.
But maybe you’ve wondered if being a lawyer may not be on the cards for you?
There are many non-traditional pathways available to legal professionals beyond entering private practice or becoming an inhouse counsel.
That’s because your legal expertise is transferrable to a number of related fields – fields where it will be recognised as hugely valuable.
What’s more, the legal sector is going through a shake-up (and not just because of the coronavirus pandemic). With the rise of new technologies and dramatically changing client needs, there’s never been a more relevant time to explore the many other domains your legal training could take you.
Although your cross-sector career options are wide and varied, this guide focuses on the following four:
- Legal technology
- Legal business
- Legal operations
- Legal politics & government
You’re entering a market that no longer follows the status quo. So why not jump in and embrace the opportunities?
Why follow a non-traditional path?
It’s an exciting time to be a legal graduate now.
Why? Because there are genuine career options out there – options that extend beyond a linear path of leaving law school, entering private practice and rising the ranks to partnership.
While this may still be the dream for many newly qualified lawyers, not every graduate is passionate about this pathway. Here are some reasons a non-traditional legal career may be right for you.
1. You’ve got a passion or talent in another area
Is there another field you’re passionate about – such as sales, marketing, technology, politics or social justice? Or perhaps you even have a double-degree specialising in one of these fields?
If so, you will be reassured to know that legal professionals with expertise and interest in complementary areas are highly valued.
More importantly, it may catapult you into a surprising new career direction within the legal sector, or outside it.
2. You want a career with variety
The traditional career path towards becoming partner means staying in one firm from graduation to partnership; a path that takes 10 years at least.
But if this picture conflicts with your desire for a dynamic and varied career, you’re far from alone.
According to the 2017 Foundation for Young Australians report, it’s likely that Gen Z’ers will have 17 different jobs over five careers in their lifetime. This is great news for those wanting to explore alternative careers.
3. You’re excited by the changes taking place
What it means to be a lawyer is changing thanks to technological advances, more sophisticated clients and a rising demand for holistic business solutions.
Law firms need to pivot to match this changing landscape. And that means changing their delivery models and the services they offer.
If all these changes intrigue and excite you, this is a sign that you could find a world of opportunity still awaits you in the legal arena – in a non-legal practising role.
Alternative Career 1: Legal Tech & Innovation - Transforming the legal sector to face digital disruption
Insights for this section provided by Terri Mottershead, Executive Director, Centre for Legal Innovation
Why legal technology?
Digital disruption is transforming the legal sector.
Technology and AI are changing the way the legal profession makes decisions. And data is changing the way we practise law.
Meanwhile, clients’ expectations around services have also shifted. They want more control over what they’ll get, when they’ll get it, and at what price point they’ll get it.
Because of these forces, savvy firms and companies today are seeking innovators who can champion new technologies internally and embed an agile approach. This means a new breed of legal professional is emerging – along with a whole host of career options for the digitally-minded legal grad.
At its core, working in legal tech means using innovative thinking and technology to deliver a better client experience. So if you’re keen to be at the forefront of digital disruption and lead the charge for change, read on.
Legal technology trends you need to know about
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Big data Technology is allowing us to gather greater volumes of data than ever before. And it’s giving us the means to interpret this data with ever-increasing accuracy and insight. This means lawyers are no longer providing solely reactive advice. Rather, they can make forecasts and advise based on predictive analytics. For example, advising clients when something might go wrong, or when a legal intervention may make sense. |
Artificial intelligence AI is a computing system that can perform jobs that have historically needed human intelligence. It uses algorithms to process large amounts of data and provide insights, such as predictions. Incorporating AI makes sound financial sense for legal services. It can complete tasks, such as contract review and extraction, at a rapid speed and often more accurately than a human. |
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Other emerging technologies There are technologies beyond AI that are fundamentally changing the legal landscape, such as cloud computing and blockchain. These technologies are shifting traditional in-person activities into the digital realm and offering new ways of working. |
Agile and innovative thinking Being innovative in the legal profession isn’t solely focused on technology. It’s also about bringing new ways of thinking into the traditionally risk-averse legal sector. This means embracing risk, building resilience, and utilising skills like ‘design thinking’ to improve processes. |
Careers in legal technology
1. Legal Technologist
Often with a degree in law and computer science, a legal technologist is a kind of ‘translator’ between lawyers and techies.
Predominantly, you will help automate legal processes by creating or acquiring new tech tools.
2. Data Scientist or Data Analyst
Analysing large swathes of data, you will leverage technology to help with interpretation.
This could include creating and using AI, managing algorithms, checking that the outcome is unbiased – and modifying it accordingly.
3. Privacy Engineer
Responsible for developing and implementing solutions that ensure privacy policies are met, your primary goal will be to develop technical solutions to help mitigate privacy risks.
4. Legal Technology Entrepreneur
Built a chatbot during your degree and enjoyed the experience so much you want to make a career out of it? Or perhaps you have a burgeoning idea for a documentation automation process?
If you’ve got the legal know-how, tech abilities and an entrepreneurial spirit, you may have what it takes to start your own business. You could follow the footsteps of other successful Australian legal start-ups, such as Josef Legal, Family Property and Check Box.
Alternative Career 2: Legal Business - The crossover between law, business development & marketing
Why a career In legal business?
The role of marketing in the legal sector is changing. Traditionally, firms relied on word-of-mouth to acquire new clients. This might have been supplemented with other soft marketing tools such as corporate brochures, newsletters and public signage.
But these passive tactics don’t cut it in today’s competitive landscape.
With online marketplace exploding, clients are becoming a lot more powerful, sophisticated and discerning.
And that means firms need to do a lot more to win and retain business.
So how can you help a firm stand out in a crowded market?
It all comes down to smarter branding, market research to better understand your clients – and a more proactive approach to relationship building.
With all these changes taking place, it’s no surprise that firms recognise the need for legally trained business development professionals. In fact, some firms even make it mandatory for their graduates to rotate through a business development role.
This is promising news if you think you have what it takes to work in legal business development. And you could find yourself in a rewarding role using your interpersonal skills, legal skills and business acumen to build a firm’s success.
Legal business trends you need to know about
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Creating a tailored client experience Exceptional client service without a hefty cost is becoming essential. Firms that can offer a personal experience at a competitive rate will lead the way of the future. To keep up with these expectations, firms are investing in systems to facilitate targeted relationship building. They’re using CRM systems and information capturing to automate communication processes for a seamless and tailored customer experience. |
Clients are accessing legal solutions online There’s a plethora of websites that allow anyone to create their own legal documents such as wills, service agreements and other contracts. So what’s the value of consulting a lawyer and paying their fees? Those in legal business development are constantly looking for ways to offer clients a superior in-person experience over a digital one. |
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Investing in market analysis & segmentation Firms today are taking a harder look at their client relationship processes, undertaking market research – and investing in market analyst roles. Why? Because they now recognise that it’s better to not be ‘all things to all people’ – but to focus on the client segments that offer the most value. |
Firms as brands Word-of-mouth advertising is no longer enough to keep a law firm viable. Market competition is tough, and with the in-house counsel sector growing rapidly, it’s getting even tougher. Firms need to differentiate themselves from their competitors. This means creating a strong brand and refining their point of difference in the market. It’s also about ensuring that every touch point a client has with a firm upholds the integrity of that brand. |
Careers in legal business
1. Business Development and Marketing Manager
Your role will be to oversee the firm’s brand and safeguard its reputation.
You will have oversight over every point of contact clients have with the firm, ensuring their experience is consistent and seamless.
You’ll also focus on tactics to drive new business and execute integrated marketing strategies.
2. Client Relationship Manager
Utilising your marketing, business development and relationship building skills, you will manage client accounts and drive relationships to achieve profitable growth for the firm.
3. PR Executive
Developing innovative ideas for marketing campaigns, your key responsibilities will involve coordinating PR events, securing media coverage, developing client communications and publishing legal articles.
4. Client and Market Developer
Your goal will be to convert business initiatives into revenue sources. This typically involves extending into new markets and developing strategies to retain existing clients and uncover new prospects.
5. HR Operations Manager
You will attend industry events and conferences, identify business development opportunities and provide support in HR and recruitment.
HOW TO KICKSTART YOUR CAREER IN LEGAL TECH & BUSINESS
Grab the full guide to learn your next steps as a law student or graduate.
Alternative Career 3: Legal Operations - Streamlining processes for higher quality services
Insights for this section provided by Steven Walker, Managing Director of Elevate’s law department and contracts consulting business in APAC
Why a career in legal operations?
The legal industry is in the midst of a shake-up. Yes, COVID-19 is disrupting every industry, but lawyers are staring down changes that have been on the horizon for some time – specifically:
- More sophisticated clients
- A rapidly rising inhouse counsel sector
- Demand from clients for holistic business solutions
The combination of all key factors means law firms have to operate more like businesses.
However, it’s not easy for firms to revolutionise the way they work. That’s why having dedicated people is essential – professionals that don’t work in the business, but on the business.
Enter: the legal operations specialist.
Roles in legal operations typically sit at the intersection of project management and the introduction of new technologies, systems and processes. Well versed in Six Sigma, lean processes, systems thinking and change management, legal operations professionals are reimagining the law firm to suit contemporary market needs.
Although legal operations specialists don’t need to have a legal background, lawyers are arguably best placed to fill these roles because they understand the domain first-hand.
It’s still early days for the legal operations specialist to take hold in Australia. This is an exciting fact, because without a blueprint, our industry can make it what we want and need it to be.
Legal operations trends you need to know about
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Clients are becoming more sophisticated The law is no longer a sector where the experts have all the knowledge and data and buyers don’t. Customers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. They’re demanding greater empowerment and personalisation. And they’re more attuned to the service experience. Lawyers therefore need to change their delivery models and package products in ways that clients want to consume them. And to provide more for less, they need to optimise speed and scale through innovative thinking, new technologies and streamlined processes. |
The inhouse legal sector is growing rapidly Most large organisations now have an inhouse legal team of some sort. This migration of workforce inhouse has a trickledown effect. Many inhouse counsels use smart processes and modern technologies themselves – like document automation. This means when they go outside their organisation for specific legal expertise, they expect the same efficiencies to be in place. And that means firms need to run as efficiently as their clients. |
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Client interaction is becoming automated Clients want a one-stop-shop. Many lawyers are trained to believe their role is to sit in a room and deliver legal advice directly to clients. While this form of lawyering will persist, it will only be about 20% of what the legal role of tomorrow entails. Why? Because this one-on-one approach of working with clients isn’t scalable. In other words, it can’t be delivered ‘better, faster, cheaper’, in the way that today’s clients demand. This means we’re heading towards a model of one-to-many. Under this model, clients will spend less time interacting directly with lawyers – and more time interacting with digital forms and automated processes. |
Clients want a one-stop-shop We’re living in an age where clients want broader solutions from their professional partners. Perhaps they’re looking for business growth advice with legal consultancy alongside. Or maybe they want to come to your firm for a complete M&A solution. Accordingly, firms need to consider integrating more into their offerings and bring in multidisciplinary professionals. This shift or realignment to client needs requires strategy and planning – and strong project management throughout the transformation. |
Careers in legal operations
Operations Manager or Coordinator
This is operations management in its purest form. Your role will be to remodel firms to focus on the collective and discover ways to reduce internal wastage. Roles range from junior or entry level, to very senior.
Technology Manager or Coordinator
In this role, you will be putting new technologies and systems in place that ensure firm processes run smoothly. While the role is technology focused, its overall aim is to streamline processes and deliver services faster and more efficiently.
General Manager or Practice Manager
These roles are a lot broader than purely operations – and are typically held by senior legal professionals. You will focus on stakeholder management, business development, and of course, ensuring the firm is operating in a way that’s sustainable into the future.
Alternative Career 4: Politics & Government - Where the law intersects with policy and government
How your legal training and expertise will help you
The law and politics overlap in many ways. So the good news for legal graduates is that the skills and knowledge you acquire in your degree will be incredibly helpful if you are keen to venture into politics.
Legal practitioners involved in government and politics are often on the frontline, providing legal advice and representation. The policy decisions they make will be backed by their sound understanding and knowledge of the law. And they might be involved in anything from litigation, advocacy and advice to statutory interpretation, legislative review and drafting.
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A problem-solving mindset Legally trained professionals are well accustomed to adopting a problem-solving perspective. They know how to build a strong case in favour of or against a particular policy or course of action. |
The ability to think critically and without bias As a lawyer, you will have the ability to remove yourself from your own ideologies and ways of thinking to see both sides of an argument. You can look at issues objectively to ascertain right from wrong. These ways of thinking are critical when it comes to contributing to policy. |
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An understanding of legal ramifications As a law graduate, you have greater awareness of the implications of what parliament does. You are also aware of the application and different interpretations of policy within society – which is key to understanding the influence and limitations of politics. |
Public speaking skills Public speaking with confidence, and the ability to debate and formulate an argument, are key skills you’ve honed during your degree. |
Careers in politics
Parliamentary Researchers for MP
You will be primarily responsible for running the office, providing practical support and briefings on legislation. The job requires you to be able to process large amounts of information and data.
Political Strategist/Consultant
You will be responsible for advising politicians during a campaign. This will require you to determine what people want from their leaders and how this might be implemented as new policies.
Diplomatic and Foreign Policy Officer/Advisor
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade often recruits legal graduates for these positions.
Your skills in policy analysis, negotiation, dispute resolution and mediation are prized here.
Lobbyist
With excellent persuasion and communication skills, you will act in the interest of a client to influence public policy. You will engage elected officials and encourage them to vote favourably on an issue – or oppose legislation that isn’t in the organisation’s best interests.
Compliance Officer
You will help a firm ensure that its entity complies with and maintains policies within regulatory framework, while identifying and managing regulatory risk.
Policy Analyst
Influencing political and social decisions, you will make recommendations to government officials. You will also analyse potential policies and evaluate the effects of proposed legislation.
Policy Officer
Responsible for developing and implementing policy, you will provide specialist advice on policy matters, identify areas for improvement and implement policy in line with legislation and regulation.
Legal adviser
You will provide legal counsel to a government body or politician, draft and negotiate contracts, ensure compliance with corporate laws and advise on legal matters.
Policy Communications Specialist
Your role may involve analysing and evaluating policy and legislation, developing policy submissions, reports, articles and briefing papers – and engaging in advocacy strategies such as lobbying activities.
Law Reformer
Legal reform is the process of examining existing laws and advocating and implementing change in a legal system. Working in the government sector, your aim will be to enhance justice and efficiency.
WHERE ELSE COULD YOU GO?
None of those career paths grabbing you? Download the full guide for 11 more alternative careers!
