lawyer

While you may think that jobs in the legal field are limited largely to opportunities for attorneys, there are also dozens of other professional positions available to those interested in law. Although lawyers rank among the most visible and well-compensated of the positions available in the field, there are many professional paths in the legal field that don't impose the significant educational and financial resources that the completion of a law degree usually requires.

In addition to the positions available for attorneys, the field of law includes opportunities for legal secretaries, law firm administrators, paralegals, investigators, consultants, court reporters, legal assistants, clerks, document specialists, and more. In addition, there are hundreds of related opportunities available in the criminal justice field, ranging from behind-the-scenes administrators to front-line detectives and law enforcement officers.

Education Career Opportunities in Law

If you like the idea of a career in the legal field, but would rather not devote yourself to a decade or more of costly schooling, study, exam preparation, and internships, you're in luck. Today, many traditional and online colleges and universities offer degrees in law and legal fields, and many of these courses of study can be completed in less than two years' time.

To learn more about degree programs in law and the legal field, and to determine whether you are well-suited to this type of career path, enroll in an introductory course at a local college or via an online distance-learning program. Your instructor can answer specific questions about the field and help you chart a path to career success.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegals and legal assistants earned a median annual salary of $46,980 in , while lawyers earned $113,240.