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Legal professions are always promoted as being exciting and interesting in TV and film, and while the majority of legal professionals tend to go into being a solicitor or a trial attorney, there are more options than that. If you’re interested in law, the following are some different career paths that you might be interested in pursuing.

Trial Attorney vs. Solicitor

While both of the main careers in law require the same skills and expertise, there is a slight differentiation in how they operate, irrespective of jurisdiction. Both require a legal education and both advise clients but they do so from two specific standpoints. A barrister, or trial attorney in America, is someone who argues the case in front of the judge and is used as part of the trial in either a defense or prosecution role. As a result, they tend to specialize in trial law, such as criminal law, where they would need to be in a courtroom the majority of the time. A solicitor, meanwhile, is usually the first point of contact with the client and is generally hired for a transactional issue, for example purchasing a house or filing for divorce. There are obviously a huge number of specialties for both, such as family law and criminal law, but if you prefer working with people directly then try giving a solicitor role a go.

Legal Academia

Getting a degree is sometimes the hard part, especially if you are in a low-income household. But don’t forget there are other options when it comes to paying for college. With student loans from a private lender available, they can help to open the door to a career in legal academia that will help you reach your maximum potential. Once you graduate, there are avenues such as constitutional law that breaks down legal frameworks in the governmental institution. While there are those who use their law degrees to go into politics, a constitutional lawyer would be best placed to discuss those in a wider context. There are also a variety of teaching opportunities you can go into, especially if you enjoy working with young people, as there are high school programs that allow for law to be studied at earlier opportunities for kids who want to broaden their knowledge from an early age.

Coroner

If you’ve ever looked at a crime TV show and been hit by a strong desire to cut open a dead body, you’ll probably be surprised to know that many former barristers become coroners after they’ve stepped away from the courtroom. The same investigative skills of deciding a cause of death based on the available information are used when practicing the law, so if this is a career path you are considering, make sure to stock up on your medical credits and get some experience in both fields.

Civil Service

While many use their legal education to go into politics, if you aren’t as open to get arms deep into the political process and would rather work in the actual working of government, then civil service might be for you. Although not as glamorous, it can definitely be rewarding and don’t underestimate the power of a civil service job, because everyone knows a Karen who works at the DMV and is doing just fine in life.

This content is provided by an independent source for informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice. Consult an attorney or financial advisor when making decisions. This information is provided by legal writers and does not reflect the views or opinions of The Daily Sundial editorial staff.