Still, the legal industry is a large one, and jobs in several diverse areas are available to attorneys and non-attorneys alike. Below is a list of 10 often-overlooked jobs in the legal industry that are open to you.
Legal Jobs at the Courthouse
- Jobs as Court Administrators Are in Demand and Do Not Require a Law Degree: The primary job of the court administrator is to attend to the various tasks that a judge often is too busy to complete, including scheduling hearings, recording trial results, and managing judicial records. Also known as the judicial administrator, the court administrator participates in various trial activities as well, such as labeling exhibits, ensuring witnesses are sworn in, and announcing the judge.
- Jobs as Court Interpreters Are in Demand and Do Not Require a Law Degree: It is estimated that at least 20% of the United States population speaks very little or no English. As a result, it is vital that courts employ court interpreters who are able to interact with these individuals when they have been called as witnesses in trials or are litigants. The court interpreter ensures that the non-English-speaking individual is aware of all court proceedings as they occur and explains what is being said by the judge, other attorneys, or witnesses. He or she may also serve as a translator when the individual is a witness.
- Jobs as Court Reporters Are in Demand and Do Not Require a Law Degree: Court reporters' sole responsibility is to create verbatim transcripts for all court proceedings. The court reporter accomplishes this by utilizing either a stenotype machine or "voice writing." He or she may also be responsible for recording the proceedings or supplying individuals with hearing problems closed-captioning services.
Legal Jobs Tied to Forensics
- Jobs as Forensic Accountants Are in Demand and Do Not Require a Law Degree: Possessing financial and investigative dexterity, the forensic accountant probes companies' financial records to ensure that there haven't been any illegal financial activities such as embezzlement. He or she conducts investigations in order to find evidence in the event that a company has been found to participate in activities that aim to defraud those invested in the company.
- Jobs as Forensic Animators Are in Demand and Do Not Require a Law Degree: The sole job of the forensic animator is to recreate various events using computer animation that are vital to the success of a case. These can range from an alleged assault to an armed robbery. After the forensic animator receives all applicable information about the event from investigators and eyewitnesses, he or she creates a computer-simulated reenactment to be shown to the jury during trial.
- Jobs as Forensic Scientists Are in Demand and Do Not Require a Law Degree: Using their knowledge of science and investigative acumen, forensic scientists serve as witnesses during the course of trial to either corroborate or dispute legal theories put forth by either the prosecution or defense. This testimony often results in the forensic scientists' making statements as to why the defendant could or could not have committed the crime in question.
Legal Administrative Jobs
- Jobs as Legislative Staffers Are in Demand and Do Not Require a Law Degree: Legislative staffers are government employees and work directly with federal or state politicians. Their primary responsibilities range from managing casework to working to find resolutions for constituents' troubles. Legislative staffers must also be aware of various legislative issues as they may be required to inform lawmakers of certain policies or proposed legislation.
- Jobs as Paralegals Are in Demand and Do Not Require a Law Degree: Essentially, paralegals ensure that everything is running smoothly in a legal office. They conduct research, carry out administrative tasks, and help lawyers prepare for upcoming trials. This may involve drafting contracts or affidavits or examining legal precedents that may apply to the case at hand.
Legal Jobs with Creative Twists
- Jobs as a Legal Writer/Editor Are in Demand and Do Not Require a Law Degree: Individuals who are interested in the law and/or legal developments and also have journalism or writing backgrounds may be interested in pursuing careers as reporters for the legal sections of newspapers, with legal book publishers, or with legal magazines. No legal experience is necessary, merely the desire to write about legal issues.
- Jobs as a Legal Videographer Are in Demand and Do Not Require a Law Degree: In the event that an individual is called as a witness during the course of litigation and is unable to appear, legal videographers may be hired to document the witness's testimony. This taped testimony is then played for the jury in the courtroom. Legal videographers may also be hired to tape the daily activities of a plaintiff in order to show his or her struggles, as well as how he or she has been impacted as a result of the event in question.
