On behalf of the FIU Law Review, we want to congratulate all of the alumni who passed the Bar this past July. After a grueling three year commitment, it is great to finally begin to reap the rewards. But now that you have passed the bar . . . what comes next? There are so many types of law and so many types of jobs across so many industries. How does one choose? If you have passed the Bar, this blog entry may not be for you: this entry, however, may help provide guidance to those that in the very near future will be licensed attorneys.
Coming from someone who is about to complete her own law school journey and will soon take the bar, I believe the best advice I have received is to experiment in various types of law before graduation. A lawyer can be more than just a prosecutor or corporate attorney; in fact, there is an entire world out there JUST ABOUT LAW. This article is a good read for those of you that wonder what different types of attorneys do and their corresponding salary ranges. While not a comprehensive list, reading articles like this can get you to start thinking about what you might want to do for the foreseeable future after passing the bar. Remember though, we are lucky to have chosen an ever-evolving profession. Whatever our first job is will likely not be our last, nor will it determine the law we will practice forever. Because we have the abilities and resources to become competent lawyers in various fields, we can in essence be a lawyer with many different hats.
Maybe being a practicing attorney isn’t exactly your cup of tea after being in law school for three years. Maybe you have a drive outside of the legal profession. Do not fret, as many top executives of different companies have a JD under their belt. Law school teaches you to think differently than the rest of the populous, and many major companies consider this an asset. As a law student, you are building a unique skill set that will place you in a different category than the person next to you. You will be more versatile than most and able to survive in a job market longer than most. Here is a good read about some of the opportunities that a JD can net you in the business world.
Whatever road you choose, make sure it is a well-researched one. While your first job will not certainly be your last, the first step is usually the hardest. If you are in store for a long journey, make it something you like. Remember, as the saying goes . . . “If you don’t want to work a day in your life, do something you love every day.”
Yanelis Zamora