Q:        I have been a member of your service for about a year.   I am in my fifth year of practicing law and have decided to look for “alternative" careers, as I am not satisfied with the traditional law firm environment.

 Can you advise the best way to search for alternative careers, specifically, targeting areas where a law degree is viewed as an asset to my application? Curious in Connecticut A:  Dear Curious, I hate to answer a question with a question, but what do you mean by an alternative career?  Are you looking for a law firm, but one that isn’t organized in a traditional manner?  Are you considering working as a lawyer, but not at a firm?  I’ll assume that, like most people who refer to alternative law careers, you are considering leaving the practice of law.   I dislike the phrase alternative legal career; it is often used, but has a negative connotation that is a relic of a bygone age.  Twenty or more years ago, it may have made sense to think of those that left the practice of law as pursuing alternative careers.  But since then, thousands of attorneys have left the profession.  And one of the lessons that has been learned from that experience is that lawyers can and have done pretty much anything--from anthropologists to zoologists, from engineers to farmers. Thus, it may helpful to rephrase your question in two respects.  First, the issue is not where your law degree is likely to be viewed favorably.  After all, as an applicant, it is your responsibility to make the case for yourself and demonstrate that your background and interests will be an asset to the employer.  Second, the underlying questions that most often confront those who want to make more significant career changes are: (1) What do you want to do?  And (2) What transferable skills do you have?  Stated differently, you need to make a case to a potential employer and answer the following questions:  (1) Why are you interested in the employer (as opposed to other employers)?  And (2)  What you can do for them? In my experience, many attorneys who seek to leave the profession (or to make significant changes where and how they practice law) find it helpful to answer the last of these questions first.  Once you identify what you can do for the employer--your transferable skills--you will be able to identify potential employers and environments where those skills can make a contribution.   So how does one identify transferable skills?  Here is one way that lawyers have found helpful.  First, recognize that the transferable skills that matter are those you enjoy.  No sense finding a new job that requires you do to all the things you already know you don’t like to do.  So review your jobs (paid and unpaid) and list the projects, cases, assignments, or duties that you enjoyed most.  For each entry, identify the physical, mental, or social skills involved.  Next, identify six or seven non-work related activities you have enjoyed, and identify the relevant associated skills.  After you have compiled all of the transferable skills you have identified, rank them, and list the six or so you like the most.

Copyright © 2008 Successful Career Strategies, Inc.  All rights reserved.

Tel. 310.499.4668 • Info@scslawcareers.com • Toll Free  877.727.3399