Alternative Careers

if you decide that you do not want to practice law or want to know all of the options available, there are other career paths open to you.

A law degree is seen as a valuable asset by many employers. The particular skills you have gained in your studies will make you especially suited to certain careers.

Please take a look at the examples of the possible opportunities for alternative careers below. This is by no means a complete list, so don't feel your choices are restricted to the career paths included in this section.

Barristers' Clerk
You would be responsible for the administration and development of chambers. As a Senior Clerk, you would act as an agent for the barristers; as a First Junior Clerk Assistant Senior Clerk, you will assist the Senior Clerk in their duties and cover in their absence, along with general office duties.
For more information, visit: http://www.barristersclerks.com.

Court Clerk (judicial or legal adviser)
You would advise the non-stipendary magistrates on legal matters, as they will not necessarily be legally qualified. You will answer any of the magistrate's questions, explain to them the procedures of the court and clarify points of law. You will also assist with the paperwork resulting from a case.
For more information, visit: http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/working.htm.

Court Reporter
You will compile the records (word for word) of the proceedings in the court. You will attend a court case and record all that is said using either a computer-aided transcription system or traditional shorthand.

Crown Prosecution Service
You will be dealing with the prosecution of alleged criminal offenders within England and Wales. The CPS prosecutes cases, advises police on possible prosecutions, reviews those prosecutions that the police have began and prepares the cases for court.
For more information, visit: http://www.cps.gov.uk.

Customs' & Excise
As a Customs Officer, you will work at customs posts, ensuring that there is not excess baggage or any smuggled goods in baggage, freight or mail. You will also have a presence in court as an official witness and deal with the documentation of customs. As an Excise Officer, you will check business premises (such as importers premises) to make sure that the appropriate duties are paid, and that the excise regulations are adhered to. You will collate suspect information, deal with enquiries and also prepare reports. As a VAT Assurance Officer, you will provide technical advice to assist local businesses in their accounting for VAT. You will also ensure that they are familiar with the necessary laws in this area. You will also assist the Inland Revenue, the police and the Home Office.
For more information, visit: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk.

European Institutions
You have the opportunity to work for the European Parliament, the Court of Justice and the European Commission.
For more information, visit: http://europa.eu/epso/working/workhome_en.htm.

Home Office
There are many opportunities for you within the Home Office, one of which is providing legal advice on policy development and preparing legislation to take it through Parliament. Applications can be made for a vast range of opportunities within the Home Office.
For more information, visit: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Immigration Service
You will deal will the assessment of the admissibility of people who enter the United Kingdom at seaports, airports and the Channel Tunnel. This will involve interviewing people, dealing with the removal of those who are denied entry to the United Kingdom and also making sure that they only stay for the amount of time permitted.
For more information, visit: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingforus/careerswithind.

In-house Legal Departments
You will be involved with the legal aspects of your company (your employer). The areas of law dealt with will depend upon the legal issues arising within that company, ranging from routine contractual duties and dealing with external solicitors.
For more information, visit: C&I Group.

Inland Revenue
As a Revenue Executive, you will calculate and collect tax and National Insurance contributions of workers. You will also investigate whether the correct amount has been contributed and represent the Inland Revenue in court cases. As a Tax Inspector, you will apply tax legislation to partnerships, individuals, businesses, and companies. Investigating tax evasion, you will also represent the Inland Revenue in court cases.
For more information, visit: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/home.htm.

Law Commission
You will be employed to research projects (as an assistant), concerned with the review and reform of the law. Research will cover historical and legal aspects, and you will also maintain high standards of written material to go before Parliament.
For more information, visit: http://www.lawcom.gov.uk/.

Legal Executives
You will deal with a narrower area of the law than a solicitor, but will conduct similar duties. You will be qualified as a lawyer, and often the specialisms of legal executives will be in the areas of litigation or conveyancing.
For more information, visit: http://www.ilex.org.uk/.

Legal Secretary
You will assist lawyers and legal executives with the daily tasks involved in a law firm. This will include dealing with correspondence and undertaking clerical work. It will sometimes include some contact with clients and attendance at court.

Licensed Conveyancer
You will make investigations into the legal ownership of property and deal with the legal aspects of transferring this property. Sometimes a licensed conveyancer will provide additional advice in the areas of probate and litigation.
For more information, visit: http://www.conveyancer.org.uk/.

Management Consultant
You will have the objective of improving the position of an organisation, their profile, or a particular aspect of the company, (e.g. human resources). You will firstly identify particular problems within the organisation and make recommendations on how to improve the situation.

Outdoor Clerk
Your job will entail the provision of legal assistance to legal aid firms. Duties will range from taking notes from court proceedings, delivering messages, taking witness statements, and being involved in interviews at police stations.

Patent Agent
As a Patent Agent, you will look into the details of inventions, and make investigations to ensure that they are unique. It will also involve the production of detailed specifications of these inventions, and the submission and negotiation of patent applications, along with the provision of legal advice.
For more information, visit: http://www.cipa.org.uk/pages/home.

Paralegal
You will provide administrative and legal assistance for a firm of solicitors. Your duties will range from clerical, to similar duties that would be undertaken by a trainee solicitor.
For more information, visit: http://www.instituteofparalegals.org/.

Police
You could work in the police force in a number of roles that deal with the enforcement of the law. Having a law degree is beneficial to such a career due to the fact that it is a subject that all trainees must study for promotion.
For more information, visit: http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/.

Publishing
You will undertake editorial tasks or deal with the commissioning of new titles. In the area of legal publishing, books and electronic products will range from those aimed at academia to those that provide legal information for legal professionals.

Tax Consultant
You will be employed to look at the best tax strategies for your client. With the increasing amount of tax legislation, there are a growing number of opportunities in this area.
For more information, visit: http://www.tax.org.uk/.

Teaching
You may want to consider a career in law teaching. If you are thinking of teaching in the further education sector, you are not required to obtain a postgraduate teaching qualification, but it is increasingly useful to have one to gain entry and there are several specialised certificates on offer. For those wishing to teach in the higher education sector, you will find that the majority of entrants have completed a higher degree and some would have obtained a professional law qualification. Research (PhD) students can gain valuable experience in university departments as graduate teaching assistants.

Trade Mark Attorney
You will give assistance in the registration of trademarks and provide advice on how to correctly use these trademarks in advertising, etc., taking into account the needs of your client. You will also provide advice to do with the infringement of trademarks, and assist solicitors and barristers conducting any resulting litigation cases.
For more information, visit: http://www.itma.org.uk/intro/index.htm.

Trading Standards
You will visit businesses, checking that the equipment and practices adhere to the law and regulations that govern the buying and selling of goods and services. Tasks involve checking the accuracy of claims about products, advising both consumers and businesses on the regulations in this area; ensuring the legality of imports, and presenting court cases.
For more information, visit: http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/.

Voluntary Advice Work
You can work as a volunteer for the Citizens Advice Bureau, or for a Law Centre. This has the possibility of leading to training as an advice worker.
For more information, visit: http://www.nacab.org.uk or http://www.lawcentres.org.uk.

Other career options
Of course there are other career options available that you may want to consider including:
Marketing, Journalism, Banking, Financial Services, Accountancy, Retail Management, Human Resources Management, IT and Sales Management.
Further information about the above and other careers can be found by visiting your Careers Office or visit: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!eLaXi or http://targetjobs.co.uk/graduate-jobs/default.aspx