3 Careers in Law That Don’t Require a Law School Degree

Interested in a career in law but don’t have plans for law school right now? You may be wondering what are other job options for someone who is interested in the field of law but does not have a law degree. The good news is, there are many people out there in the exact same position, which means there are many potential job opportunities for you as well! Here are three careers in the legal field that hire people who do not have a degree from law school:

  1. Court Reporters

Court Reporters use strategies to capture, recover, and transcribe trial proceedings. Some of their day-to-day tasks include proofreading transcripts, recording court proceedings, providing transcripts to other members of the court such as judges and lawyers, logging and filing court documents, and responding to requests to read proceedings from the trial session. This job is perfect for people with an undergraduate degree who want to work within the courtroom setting and witness the trial experience firsthand. Additionally, employment demand for Court Reporters is expected to change by +8.37% over the next ten years. The top employers that hire court reporters are Veritext Corporation, the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, and Veritext Legal Solutions. There are many soft skills required for this job, but some of the most important include active listening, writing, and reading comprehension.

  1. Legal Secretaries

Some of the jobs that Legal Secretaries perform each day include preparing legal documents such as summonses, motions, and subpoenas using legal terminology. They assist with legal research, organize and maintain case files, and support attorneys in collecting information. Many employers hire legal secretaries with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. The top three employers that are currently hiring for the position of legal secretary include Robert Half International Inc., Custodio L Lim MD, and Lawfirm Staff Inc. Many of the soft skills that are required of court reporters are also required of legal secretaries: writing, reading comprehension, speaking, and time management.

  1. Paralegals and Legal Assistants

If you are looking to pursue a career in which you can assist lawyers with investigating facts, preparing legal documents, and researching legal cases, then a career as a paralegal may be the appropriate path for you. Legal assistants and paralegals aid in conducting research to support legal proceedings and coordinate other law office activity. Many employers hire legal assistants and paralegals with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, and employment demand for this position is expected to increase 9.45% over the next ten years. Some of the top employers for these positions are Army National Guard, Morgan and Morgan, and Adams and Martin Group.

Information and data for this blog was collected from the Job Market Insights tab on the Center for Career Development website. If you would like to research jobs in other industries or fields, this tool may be a helpful resource.

By Taylor Fenerty
Taylor Fenerty Outreach and Engagement Intern