School of Law give Graduates a Helping Hand

Oxford, Miss.-The University of Mississippi School of Law offers graduates ideas on how to use their degree to its full advantage. The University of Mississippi College of Law Guide to Alternative Careers gives students an alternative to working as a law firm attorney.

According to the University of Mississippi College of Law guide to alternative careers, many law students surprisingly seek careers in fields other than the traditional practice of law. Reasons for doing so are personal and range from a passion for a particular field or desire to have a career with a less rigorous schedule than that of a law firm attorney.

There are however career fields that are available to those with these desires. JD preferred careers are those that are anything outside the traditional practice of law found in law firms, government agencies, public interest organizations or the court system. Careers, such as law librarian, court administrator and law professor all generally require a JD.

Many skills learned in law school are directly transferable to other fields.
These skills include analysis, advocacy, communication, and research. Graduates have an option of entering a completely unrelated field because legal training may still prove useful because they offer bout enhanced analytical skills and a different perspective of examining problems.

The guide offers several examples on non-traditional fields in which JD-related skills are beneficial. Then the guide shows graduates how to market their JD to a non-legal employer.

With the current stance of the economy these strategies could aid law students in finding employment after graduation.

“The guide could prove to be very helpful after graduation,” said Michael Williams, entering law student.

According to the Internet Legal Research Group, employment statistics for 2007 were 59.6 percent employed at graduation and 88.2 percent employed nine months after graduation. The average from 2001 to 2007 employed at graduation was 67.3 percent and 94.7 percent employed nine months after graduation.

The University of Mississippi School of Law Career services does offer year-round assistance to help students secure school year, summer, and permanent employment and to assist graduated who wish to explore career transitions.

http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/law_school/career_services/index.html