A law firm is often the next step for a new J.D. graduate, but another employer is also popular: the government.
Nine months after the class of 2013 graduated, 10.6 percent worked in government, according to a report from the American Bar Association. Of the seven employment categories highlighted in the report, the only industries that employed more new lawyers were law firms, and business and industry employers.
Students may be drawn to work in government as a way to leave a positive imprint on society, experts say.
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“I think initially it’s public service,” says Paul Katzman, the assistant dean for career planning at the Marquette University Law School in Wisconsin. “I think it’s the appeal of serving the greater good, giving back, making a contribution in a significant way.”
Aspiring law students who want to work in government have several career paths to choose from, experts say, and can do a number of things to get hired in this field.
At the federal level they may work in litigation or focus on compliance, transactional or regulatory issues, says Leslie Thrope, who directs the Center for Public Service Law at Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law in New York.
Work can take place at the Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice or other agencies.
There are also opportunities to work in politics.
“CUA law graduates also work on the Hill as counsel to a member or a committee, as legislative director, as legislative assistant and as policy advisor,” wrote Jill Frost, director of the career and professional development office at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C., in an email.
Federal government positions can be competitive, experts say. Many graduates get their start by entering an agency’s honors program, an entry-level attorney hiring program that typically permits grads to work at the agency for one or two years. Often they can continue at the agency once their stint in the honors program is complete, Thrope says.
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But it may be wise for students to look outside of the federal government for jobs. “The local governments offer you more opportunities,” Thrope says.
A law graduate may work as a public defender or prosecutor, county prosecutor or judicial law clerk, among other roles, experts say.
For most government jobs at the federal and local level, though, new attorneys can expect a smaller paycheck than what they would receive in the private sector.
“A common salary for a recent law school graduate working for the federal government in the DC metro area would be about $63,000,” Frost wrote. “Salaries with state and local governments vary by jurisdiction. For example, trial level judicial clerks in Maryland who are members of the Maryland bar would have a salary of approximately $44,000; trial level judicial clerks in Northern Virginia earn approximately $55,000. Assistant State’s Attorneys that prosecute crime earn approximately $45,000.”
The mean salary for government jobs for the class of 2013 was $54,641, according to a report from NALP, an association for legal professionals.
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Even with modest salaries, lawyers who work for the government may have other financial benefits.
After working in public service for a certain number of years, they may be eligible to have their student loans forgiven, says Thrope. But she doesn’t believe this perk is what draws students to work in government.
“I think that people who are interested in public service jobs are interested in public service jobs. It’s not like that’s the carrot,” she says. Having their loans forgiven may just give them more freedom to do other things, such as get married or start a family, she says.
Law students who want to secure government jobs can do a variety of activities to be seen as a competitive applicant, experts say.
“They can make themselves a more attractive candidate by doing externships, participating in a clinic and taking relevant courses. At CUA, many of our students do externships with the government, often completing more than one. Not only does this show a student’s commitment to public service, but provides them with invaluable work experience, helps them to build and establish their reputation within a government office, as well as obtain important references,” Frost wrote.
Also, “doing well academically never hurts,” says Katzman, from Marquette. He also says students can network and demonstrate their leadership qualities within student groups.
“These are all things that are valued and all things that can help to distinguish you from the other students who are targeting the same positions,” Katzman says.
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Start a Career in Government With a Law Degree originally appeared on usnews.com
