What can you do with your Law Degree?

Having a degree in Law is an excellent qualification that can land you a plethora of opportunities. You just need to know which career path best suits you.

Through internship experiences and interactions with fellow law students, I have realized that many law students are unaware of the diverse opportunities their law degree can offer them. An average Nigerian Law Student aspires to work in a law firm or set up their law firm in the long run or even become a law lecturer. While these are great options, your career options as a lawyer or law student are not limited to these.

If you have the mindset that your law degree can only land you a job as a barrister and/or solicitor in a law firm, as an in-house counsel or as a law lecturer, this article is for you! And if you are still trying to decide if Law is the right career for you, this article is also for you! Not only will your law degree enable you to work in different legal sectors, a law degree also furnishes you with the relevant transferable skills desired by a range of employers. For example, analytical and research skills are skills a lawyer is expected to have. Likewise, excellent communication and problem-solving skills are directly transferable to many careers.

"Not only will your law degree enable you to work in different legal sectors, a law degree also furnishes you with the relevant transferable skills desired by a range of employers."

So what can you do with your Law degree?

• Commercial Law

Both within and outside Nigeria, commercial law, offers challenging work, appears to be very relevant and developing in leaps and bounds. Commercial lawyers can provide tax advice, sound contract law advice, among others. Many law firms offer commercial law services, so there will always be an opportunity for legal professionals who want to specialize in commercial law.

Many courses in universities are tailored towards this aspect of law practice, and students also get practical exposure in this area during internships, which explains why it is popular among law students. This is a highly competitive sector; therefore, it is important to gain experience during your degree, through Career fairs/ Insight Days and Internships.

Commercial Law is a high pressured and challenging environment that many thrive in, but it is essential to have a real passion for the career to succeed.

• Company Secretary for Companies

Despite the name, the role of a company secretary is not a clerical or secretarial one in the usual sense. Company secretaries, especially for public companies are usually lawyers. Because companies are regulated by law, there is always the need for an expert in law to ensure that the companies activities are in line with the provisions of the law. A company secretary is responsible for the efficient administration of a company, particularly with regards to ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements and for ensuring that decisions of the Board of Directors are implemented. Company Secretaries are the company's named representative, and it is their responsibility to ensure that the company and its directors operate within the law. It is also their responsibility to communicate with shareholders, among others.

As a lawyer, you can become a company secretary for a corporation or firm after qualifying as a chartered secretary.

• Compliance Specialist

Compliance Specialists are tasked with ensuring that companies and other organizations are in compliance with any relevant regulations and standards. Compliance officers' specific duties vary based on the industry in which they work. They work in various sectors such as the finance sector, health sector, among others.

A graduate role in compliance gives you the opportunity to utilise the skills you've picked up during your degree while becoming an expert in laws and regulations within a particular sector. Having a good knowledge of changes in regulation, as well as the aims of the business is crucial for the role.

Compliance is largely about problem-solving, where you'll be required to process complex legal regulations and use this to set up codes of practice. A law degree gives some of the relevant skills you need to fit in this role.

• Insurance Roles

Some lawyers can take up roles in insurance companies, particularly in loss adjusting. Loss adjusters verify claims for insurance companies. Law graduates can enter loss adjusting careers. Many of the skills developed on a law degree and during legal work experience transfer well to this field. Having an eye for detail, an analytical mind, excellent negotiation skills, and good interpersonal skills are required for this role.

• Public Sector

Going into the public sector offers many opportunities, and the reason is quite obvious. Politics generally welcomes lawyers. Public institutions provide exciting opportunities for lawyers.

As a law student, you're expected to have excellent organisational and negotiating skills, which are perfect for many public sector roles. Careers in the public sector will offer stability, a good range of benefits and good opportunities for progression. If you're looking to use your skills to provide a service in the public interest, this could be a career path for you. Your knowledge of Administrative Law would also be a plus for you here.

• Consulting

The consulting sector is a sought-after career path for many. It is fast-paced, intellectually challenging and gives you the opportunity to solve business problems daily. You have probably heard of the big management consulting firms (McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, etc.). Still, there's a variety of larger and boutique consultancies offering services in a range of sectors.

A law student's ability to analyse large amounts of information and produce logical solutions to problems makes consulting a natural career fit. Firms look for excellent students who can concisely communicate complex ideas. It is important to state here that you might need to develop some other relevant skills which your law degree will not give you.

• Banking/Finance

Even without a traditional math or economics background, certain careers in the banking and finance sector attract graduates. There are a variety of roles within top firms that don't require a numerical based degree at all. As a law student, you'll need to build a strong understanding of banking concepts and have a strong commercial awareness combined with an analytical mindset and plenty of drive to fit in such roles.

A lawyer can also work as a tax consultant offering service to businesses or private clients on particular tax problems or cost-effective tax solutions.

Legal knowledge is also sometimes particularly useful in Human Resources advisory work.

Law opens many doors

I have only discussed some of the careers that fit well with your Law degree. Other professions to consider include research, legal publishing (both print and online) and teaching. What's essential is that you gain a range of experience during university, especially if you're unsure about a career related to law.

As a law student, you can apply for internships starting from your first year, and apply yourself during these internships; thankfully, there are many virtual internships today. If you are curious about another career, you can do an internship in that area to have an idea about what the industry is all about. Attend conferences and career fairs, and ask questions, speak to professionals/ industry experts in the area you are interested in. These are the ways you would find out what truly interests you.

Anyone can switch to any career of their choice if they really want to; all you need is to build the relevant skills even if it means going for a second degree. The internet has made it easier. You can learn almost anything you want to learn online, and you can network with professionals online using LinkedIn and other social media platforms.

If you do not want to work with the typical law firm, your law degree is not useless. And if you are passionate about actively practicing as a lawyer, do well to build yourself with all the relevant skills by participating in moot competitions and mock trials, hone your writing skills and get internship experiences. Technology and artificial intelligence are shaping the future of works. To stay relevant, you need to understand the impact of emerging technology in your desired field and leverage on it.

"Anyone can switch to any career of their choice if they really want to; all you need is to build the relevant skills even if it means going for a second degree. The internet has made it easier. You can learn almost anything you want to learn online, and you can network with professionals online using LinkedIn and other social media platforms.

I hope you have now learnt that your Nigerian law degree is not an outright sentence to a life of 'wig and gown.'