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Competition for job openings should continue to be keen because of the
large number of students graduating from law school each year. Graduates
with superior academic records from highly regarded law schools will
have the best job opportunities. Perhaps as a result of competition for
attorney positions, lawyers are increasingly finding work in
nontraditional areas for which legal training is an asset, but not
normally a requirement—for example, administrative, managerial, and
business positions in banks, insurance firms, real estate companies,
government agencies, and other organizations. Employment opportunities
are expected to continue to arise in these organizations at a growing
rate.
As in the past, some graduates may have to accept positions in areas
outside of their field of interest or for which they feel overqualified.
Some recent law school graduates who have been unable to find permanent
positions are turning to the growing number of temporary staffing firms
that place attorneys in short-term jobs until they are able to secure
full-time positions. This service allows companies to hire lawyers on an
“as-needed” basis and permits beginning lawyers to develop practical
skills while looking for permanent positions.
Because of the keen competition for jobs, a law graduate’s geographic
mobility and work experience assume greater importance. The willingness
to relocate may be an advantage in getting a job, but to be licensed in
another State, a lawyer may have to take an additional State bar
examination. In addition, employers are increasingly seeking graduates
who have advanced law degrees and experience in a specialty, such as
tax, patent, or admiralty law.
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