Legal Career Coaches

What can you do with a law degree?

By the editors of Legal Career Coaches Updated October 14, 2026 7 minute read

The short answer

What can you do with a law degree? You can practice law at a firm, in government, at a public interest group or in a company’s legal department, or clerk for a judge. You can also use the degree without practicing, in compliance, policy, consulting, business, teaching and other jobs where legal training is an advantage. Most graduates start in practice, and many change paths later.

Counts in this guide come from the 198 listings in this directory, computed October 16, 2026. Sources are listed at the end.

Contents
  1. § 1 Where do law graduates work?
  2. § 2 What does each path involve?
  3. § 3 Do you need to pass the bar to use a law degree?
  4. § 4 What skills does a law degree give you?
  5. § 5 What do lawyers earn later on?
  6. § 6 How do you choose a path?
  7. § 7 Can you change paths later?
  8. § 8 Where can you get help choosing?
  9. Questions
  10. Sources

NALP’s figures for the Class of 2025 [1] show the split. 84.6% [2] of graduates took jobs that require or anticipate bar admission, and 5.9% [3] took JD Advantage jobs, where the degree helps but no license is needed. The overall employment rate was 92.8% [4].

§ 1 Where do law graduates work?

Here is where employed members of the Class of 2025 [1] went, with the median salary NALP reported for each sector:

Sector Share of jobs Median salary
Private practice (law firms) 60.9% [5] $155,000 [6]
Government 12.0% [7] $81,000 [8]
Judicial clerkships 10.0% [9] $72,533 [10]
Public interest 9.0% [11] $75,000 [12]
Business 6.7% [13] $100,000 [14]
Education 1.4% [15] $63,000 [16]

Across all lawyers, not only new graduates, 52% [17] of lawyer jobs are in legal services (law firms and similar offices), and 11% [18] are held by self-employed lawyers. The rest are spread across government, companies and other employers.

§ 2 What does each path involve?

Law firms. Most graduates start here. You advise clients or represent them in disputes, and you bill for your time. Pay depends heavily on firm size: NALP reports median salaries from $84,000 [19] at the smallest firms to $225,000 [20] at the largest, and the largest firms now employ more than one in five [21] employed graduates. The long-run question at a firm is partnership, covered in how to make partner.

Government. Prosecutors, agency lawyers and legislative counsel work for federal, state and local governments. Hiring can change quickly: the number of graduates hired by the federal government fell 37.0% [22] for the Class of 2025 [1], so look at state and local offices too.

Judicial clerkships. You work for a judge for a fixed term, researching cases and drafting opinions. Clerkships pay less than large firms, but they are a valued credential for litigation, government and academic careers.

Public interest. Legal aid offices, public defenders, civil rights groups and advocacy organizations represent people who cannot afford a lawyer and push for causes such as civil rights and the environment. NALP counts all public and appellate defender jobs as public interest jobs, even when a government runs the office [23], so defender jobs are in the public interest figures above, not the government ones. Ask about loan repayment assistance and federal loan forgiveness for public service before you compare salaries.

In-house. Companies hire lawyers into their legal departments to advise the business directly. Few new graduates start there: NALP notes that the number of graduates taking in-house jobs is typically quite small [24]. In NALP’s figures, jobs at companies count as business jobs whether or not they are legal roles. Of the business jobs new graduates took, 34.4% [25] required or anticipated bar admission, a group that includes in-house lawyer jobs and temporary attorney work through legal staffing agencies, and 41.6% [26] were JD Advantage roles. Many legal departments prefer lawyers with some firm experience, which going in-house explains.

Education. Schools and universities, including law schools, hire lawyers for teaching, career services, admissions and academic support. NALP counts any job with an educational institution of any sort [27] as an education job, so its figures for this sector cover schools at every level, not only law schools. It is the smallest and lowest-paying sector for new graduates, and law faculty jobs usually ask for practice experience, scholarship or both.

JD Advantage and other non-practice jobs. Compliance, consulting, policy, contracts, human resources and many business roles use the degree without a license. See JD advantage jobs, and for lawyers changing direction later, alternative careers for lawyers.

§ 3 Do you need to pass the bar to use a law degree?

Only to practice. Lawyers typically need a law degree and a state license, which usually requires passing a bar examination [28]. NALP calls jobs that use the degree without a license JD Advantage jobs: jobs for which a JD gives a demonstrable advantage in getting or doing the job, but which do not require bar admission, an active law license or practicing law [29]. Its examples include corporate contracts administrators, alternative dispute resolution specialists, patent agents, landmen, tax associates, government regulatory analysts, FBI agents and accountants [30], and it says the category might also include jobs in human resources, at investment banks and consulting firms, in compliance for business and industry, in law firm professional development, and in law school career, admissions and other administrative offices [31].

New graduates in JD Advantage jobs earned a median of $85,000 [32], against a national median of $100,000 [33] across all jobs. If you are unsure which way you will go, a license keeps both doors open.

§ 4 What skills does a law degree give you?

Employers outside practice hire law graduates for a handful of skills. Naming them shows you where the degree travels:

  • Reading dense rules and applying them: compliance, regulatory and policy work.
  • Clear, careful writing: policy, publishing, communications and any job that runs on memos.
  • Negotiation and advocacy: contracts, procurement, sales to large clients and mediation.
  • Spotting risk early: compliance, risk management, consulting and in-house roles.
  • Research and analysis on a deadline: consulting, government and investigations.

On a resume for a job outside practice, lead with those skills and the results they produced, not with a list of courses or cases.

§ 5 What do lawyers earn later on?

Starting pay is only part of the picture. Among lawyers who work as employees, the median annual wage was $159,670 [34] in May 2025 [35], with a wide spread: the lowest-paid tenth earned less than $78,360 [36], and the highest-paid tenth earned more than $351,600 [37]. Employer, location and practice area all affect where you land in that range.

These figures do not cover self-employed workers or owners and partners of unincorporated businesses [38], so the pay of solo practitioners and of partners who own firms organized as partnerships or LLPs is not in this range.

§ 6 How do you choose a path?

  • Start with the work, not the title. Do you want to argue, build deals, advise or shape the rules? Litigation, transactional work, regulatory advice and policy feel very different day to day.
  • Test it before you commit. Clinics, externships, summer jobs and pro bono projects show you what a normal week looks like.
  • Run the numbers. Compare salaries against your loans, including any repayment help an employer or program offers.
  • Pick a place. Lawyers are licensed state by state, so where you take the bar shapes where you can practice.
  • Talk to people a few years ahead of you. Alumni and career services staff can introduce you to lawyers in the paths you are weighing.

Your first job is not your last. In a NALP Foundation study of 141 firms [39] in the U.S. and Canada, lateral associate hires (3,296 [40]) outnumbered entry-level hires (3,039 [41]), and 83% [42] of associates who left did so within five years of being hired.

§ 7 Can you change paths later?

Yes. The common moves each have their own guide:

§ 8 Where can you get help choosing?

Start with the free help: your law school’s career services office, professors and alumni in the fields you are curious about, and bar association programs for new lawyers. A career coach is worth considering when you are stuck between paths or want structured help with a move. Coaches do not place you in jobs; they help you decide and prepare.

This directory lists 23 coaches who work with law students and 43 who work with lawyers on career change.

Questions

What can I do with a law degree?

Practice law at a firm, in government, at a public interest organization or in a company’s legal department, clerk for a judge, or use the degree without practicing in compliance, policy, consulting, business, teaching and similar roles. In NALP’s figures for the Class of 2025 [1], 84.6% [2] of graduates took jobs that require or anticipate bar admission.

What is the most common legal career path?

Private practice at a law firm. 60.9% [5] of employed graduates in the Class of 2025 [1] started in private practice, and many lawyers later move in-house, into government, up to partner or out of practice.

What can you do with a law degree besides be a lawyer?

Work in a JD Advantage job, where the degree helps but bar passage is not required: compliance, contracts, policy, consulting, human resources, law school administration and many business roles. NALP’s examples include corporate contracts administrators, alternative dispute resolution specialists, patent agents, landmen, tax associates, government regulatory analysts, FBI agents and accountants [30].

Do you need to pass the bar to use a law degree?

Only to practice law. Lawyers typically need a law degree and a state license, which usually requires passing a bar examination [28]. JD Advantage jobs, such as many compliance, policy and consulting roles, do not require bar passage.

What government jobs can you get with a law degree?

Prosecutor, public defender, agency attorney and legislative counsel, plus judicial clerkships with courts. Many defender offices are government agencies, though NALP counts defender jobs as public interest jobs. Governments also hire law graduates into roles that need no license, such as regulatory analyst and FBI agent, both on NALP’s list of JD Advantage examples. Federal hiring of new graduates fell sharply for the Class of 2025 [1], so include state and local offices in your search.

How much do new lawyers earn?

NALP reports a national median salary of $100,000 [33] for the Class of 2025 [1]. Law firm medians ranged from $84,000 [19] at the smallest firms to $225,000 [20] at the largest, with $81,000 [8] in government and $75,000 [12] in public interest.

Can you change legal career paths later?

Yes. Lawyers move from firms to companies, to government, to other firms and out of practice altogether. In a NALP Foundation study of 141 firms [39], lateral associate hires outnumbered entry-level hires, a sign of how often associates change firms.

Coaches who help with this

Listings that cover new lawyers, career change or in-house and GC, in the usual order: Verified first, then A to Z.

  1. Susanne Aronowitz

    Portland, OR

    Susanne Aronowitz: Leaving law and career change. Offers a free consultation.

  2. Whittney Beard

    Whittney Beard: In-house counsel and general counsel.

  3. Big Law Coaches

    Coaching firm

    Big Law Coaches: Law students and new associates. Offers a free consultation.

Every coach for each goal

Browse all 198 coaches

Related guides

Sources

  1. 1NALP measured employment and salary information for the Class of 2025 as of March 16, 2026 nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  2. 2The percentage of graduates securing jobs for which bar admission is required or anticipated (i.e., attorney positions) improved by 0.3 percentage point to 84.6%, the highest level recorded since NALP introduced the current job classifications in 2001. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  3. 3Employment Status Known 35,139 100.0 Bar Admission Required/Anticipated 29,735 84.6 21,538 78,000 100,000 215,000 129,897 JD Advantage 2,086 5.9 nalp.org/uploads/Research/Class_2025_National_Summary_Report_final.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  4. 4The overall employment rate for the Class of 2025 was 92.8%, down 0.6 percentage point from the Class of 2024's record high of 93.4%. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  5. 5Among employed graduates, 60.9% obtained positions in private practice nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  6. 6The median private practice salary also decreased for the second year in a row, dropping by 3.1% to $155,000. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  7. 7The share of all jobs found in government fell from 12.9% in 2024 to 12.0% in 2025, while the share of public interest jobs declined from 9.7% to 9.0%. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  8. 8Salaries increased across all three public service sectors, with median salaries growing to $81,000 in government (+1.4%), $75,000 in public interest (+4.2%), and $72,533 in judicial clerkships (+3.6%). nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  9. 9Judicial clerkships remained flat at 10.0% of all jobs. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  10. 10Salaries increased across all three public service sectors, with median salaries growing to $81,000 in government (+1.4%), $75,000 in public interest (+4.2%), and $72,533 in judicial clerkships (+3.6%). nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  11. 11The share of all jobs found in government fell from 12.9% in 2024 to 12.0% in 2025, while the share of public interest jobs declined from 9.7% to 9.0%. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  12. 12Salaries increased across all three public service sectors, with median salaries growing to $81,000 in government (+1.4%), $75,000 in public interest (+4.2%), and $72,533 in judicial clerkships (+3.6%). nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  13. 13Employment Categories 32,619 100.0 Education 445 1.4 247 47,500 63,000 75,000 68,844 Business 2,180 6.7 1,048 85,000 100,000 127,250 115,173 nalp.org/uploads/Research/Class_2025_National_Summary_Report_final.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  14. 14In business, the median was flat at $100,000 and in the lowest paying sector, education, the median fell by 1.6% to $63,000. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  15. 15Employment Categories 32,619 100.0 Education 445 1.4 247 47,500 63,000 75,000 68,844 Business 2,180 6.7 1,048 85,000 100,000 127,250 115,173 nalp.org/uploads/Research/Class_2025_National_Summary_Report_final.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  16. 16In business, the median was flat at $100,000 and in the lowest paying sector, education, the median fell by 1.6% to $63,000. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  17. 17Some of the largest employers of lawyers were as follows: Legal services 52% Self-employed workers 11 bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved October 14, 2026
  18. 18Some of the largest employers of lawyers were as follows: Legal services 52% Self-employed workers 11 bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved October 14, 2026
  19. 19By firm size, median salaries ranged from $84,000 in firms of 1-10 lawyers to $225,000 in firms of more than 500 lawyers. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  20. 20By firm size, median salaries ranged from $84,000 in firms of 1-10 lawyers to $225,000 in firms of more than 500 lawyers. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  21. 21Today, firms of more than 500 lawyers have firmly established themselves as the single largest employer of new law graduates, accounting for more than one in five employed graduates of the Class of 2025. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  22. 22The number of graduates employed by the federal government (excluding judicial clerkships) fell by 37.0% from nearly 1,100 Class of 2024 graduates to approximately 690 Class of 2025 graduates. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  23. 23Remember that all public/appellate defenders, including positions that are managed by, or within a government entity, are considered Public Interest positions and should be categorized accordingly. nalp.org/uploads/ERSS/Classof2025/4_ERSS_InstructionBooklet_2025.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  24. 24Typically, the number of graduates taking in-house jobs is quite small. nalp.org/uploads/ERSS/Classof2025/4_ERSS_InstructionBooklet_2025.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  25. 25Business Jobs 2,180 100.0 Bar Admission Required/Anticipated 751 34.4 454 90,000 100,000 120,000 109,777 JD Advantage 906 41.6 nalp.org/uploads/Research/Class_2025_National_Summary_Report_final.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  26. 26Business Jobs 2,180 100.0 Bar Admission Required/Anticipated 751 34.4 454 90,000 100,000 120,000 109,777 JD Advantage 906 41.6 nalp.org/uploads/Research/Class_2025_National_Summary_Report_final.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  27. 27Any job with an educational institution of any sort is an education job. nalp.org/uploads/ERSS/Classof2025/4_ERSS_InstructionBooklet_2025.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  28. 28Lawyers typically need a law degree and a state license, which usually requires passing a bar examination. bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved October 14, 2026
  29. 29Jobs in this category are those for which the employer sought an individual with a JD, and perhaps even required a JD, or for which the JD provided a demonstrable advantage in obtaining or performing the job, but itself does not require bar admission, an active law license, or involve practicing law. nalp.org/uploads/ERSS/Classof2025/4_ERSS_InstructionBooklet_2025.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  30. 30Examples of positions for which a JD is an advantage include a corporate contracts administrator, alternative dispute resolution specialist, patent agent, landman, tax associate, government regulatory analyst, FBI agent, and accountant. nalp.org/uploads/ERSS/Classof2025/4_ERSS_InstructionBooklet_2025.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  31. 31Also included might be jobs in personnel or human resources, jobs with investment banks, jobs with consulting firms, jobs doing compliance work for business and industry, jobs in law firm professional development, and jobs in law school career offices, admissions offices, or other law school administrative offices. nalp.org/uploads/ERSS/Classof2025/4_ERSS_InstructionBooklet_2025.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  32. 32JD Advantage 2,086 5.9 927 65,000 85,000 110,000 96,838 nalp.org/uploads/Research/Class_2025_National_Summary_Report_final.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  33. 33The national median (50th percentile) salary for the Class of 2025 grew to a new record high of $100,000, up 5.3% compared to the median of $95,000 for the 2024 class. nalp.org/uploads/PressReleases/Classof2025SelectedFindings_PressRelease.pdf NALP, retrieved October 14, 2026
  34. 34The median annual wage for lawyers was $159,670 in May 2025. bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved October 14, 2026
  35. 35Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2025, the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980. bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved October 14, 2026
  36. 36The lowest 10 percent earned less than $78,360, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $351,600. bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved October 14, 2026
  37. 37The lowest 10 percent earned less than $78,360, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $351,600. bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved October 14, 2026
  38. 38These wage data do not cover self-employed workers or owners and partners of unincorporated businesses. bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved October 14, 2026
  39. 39The 2025 data from 141 participating firms in the U.S. and Canada, detailing 6,335 associate hires and 4,442 associate departures, revealed both ongoing trends and notable shifts nalpfoundation.org/news/the-nalp-foundation-releases-latest-update-on-associate-attrition-and-hiring-(cy-25) NALP Foundation, retrieved October 14, 2026
  40. 40In contrast to last year, the total number of lateral hires (3,296) exceeded entry-level hires (3,039) in 2025, reverting to norms for the prior years. nalpfoundation.org/news/the-nalp-foundation-releases-latest-update-on-associate-attrition-and-hiring-(cy-25) NALP Foundation, retrieved October 14, 2026
  41. 41In contrast to last year, the total number of lateral hires (3,296) exceeded entry-level hires (3,039) in 2025, reverting to norms for the prior years. nalpfoundation.org/news/the-nalp-foundation-releases-latest-update-on-associate-attrition-and-hiring-(cy-25) NALP Foundation, retrieved October 14, 2026
  42. 42A record-breaking 83% of associates who departed in 2025 left their firms within five years of hire, up from 2024's 80%. nalpfoundation.org/news/the-nalp-foundation-releases-latest-update-on-associate-attrition-and-hiring-(cy-25) NALP Foundation, retrieved October 14, 2026