1. Mediation - having done a law degree, you'll know that going to court is often the last step in a dispute, and many people will try their best to avoid it. Court and judges simply provide a setting to listen and understand all sides of an argument. Mediation is the same, as a mediator, you'll be the 'judge', providing equal opportunity for people involved in a dispute to present their version of events.
All parties must agree to participate appropriately in mediation and once it begins, you'll act like a guide and keep everyone focused on the established aims and objectives. Your job as a mediator is to facilitate meetings, encouraging both sides to talk and reach an agreement without going to court.
2. Political risk analyst - working as a political risk analyst is a varied and exciting role; you could examine economic conditions, crime levels, the threat of conflict, government stability and governance, trade and regulations or humanitarian and human rights issues.
You could work in or with a range of private sector companies to inform business and investment decisions or on behalf of governments to assist national and international policy-making and strategy.
3. Civil Service - there are loads of roles within the civil service, from administration to policy development. Civil service administrators keep government departments and agencies running by providing administrative support or performing operational/delivery roles. They help to deliver government policies and provide essential services to the public, ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the country.
- As a Policy Advisor, you'll be tasked with coming up with policies that suit the nation and reviewing previous policies to see if they still suit the needs of the country. You may have direct dealings with the public and have the chance to make a real difference in people's lives or may conduct research and write reports which contribute to policy. Your legal background and research skills will be a huge asset in policy development
4. Technical writers - are all about factual information, from writing to learning materials to descriptions of products and services and how they work. As a technical writer, you'll need to understand the needs of your end-user - do they want to understand something better or do they need a product/service that will fit their exact (complicated) needs! You'll also need to understand the product or application yourself and then design and write documentation to explain it to those users.
Technical writers can work for a range of industries. Jobs may also be advertised under different titles such as technical author, subject matter expert or information designer - but either way the analytical skills you learnt in your degree will be sure to help!
5. Advice work - as an Advice Worker, you'll support your clients by providing quality, independent information and advice to help them address and navigate their problems in the best way possible.
Clients may need help with a single issue or more complex linked problems that require specialist support; this could be legal, financial, emotional or something else! You could work in various settings, including community centres, doctors' surgeries, courts and prisons, and in dedicated advice or call centres.
6. Consultants - are needed in a whole load of fields and specialisms. If you combine your background in law with a subject you're passionate about, you've got a winning formula! If you're a people person, you could advise businesses on employment law; if you love to travel, you could consult with firms looking to enter a new territory!
As a consultant, your career will be filled with variety - you could jump from project to project depending on what interests you. Consulting is great for those with a strong foundation in a technical subject and who are naturally curious.
7. Social work - as a Social Worker, you'll help people and their families through difficult situations and help to find solutions to their problems. Help could be by ensuring that vulnerable people, including children and adults, are safeguarded from harm or supporting people to live more independently.
A big part of social work is building and maintaining professional relationships and acting as a guide and advocate. It can be a taxing and emotionally draining job. You might need to use your professional judgment to make tough decisions that aren't always well received by those you're trying to help.
You'll work in various settings, including schools, hospitals or on the premises of other public sector and voluntary organisations. Typically, you'll specialise in supporting children and their families or vulnerable adults.
8. IT - if you love tech and want to make sure people use it for the better, then why not consider IT? There's more cross over than you think when it comes to tech and law; in fact, cyber security is booming right now! It's all about protecting internet-connected systems such as hardware, software and data from cyberthreats. As our internet landscape gets more regulated, the greater the need for legal minds to ensure we are navigating it properly.
We hope this list has gotten you one step further in knowing what you want to do in your next steps!
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