Law: Career areas

A 2012 HESA survey of 2011 graduates indicates that six months after graduation just over 40% of law graduates were in paid employment in the UK or overseas, while a further 42% were undertaking further study or training, or combining work with further study.

Of those who had gone directly into work, 15% had moved into the legal profession. However, a further 13% were working in other clerical and secretarial occupations, some of which will be in a legal setting or ancillary legal professions, with scope for progression.

Almost 10% were working in commercial, industrial and public sector management and a further 10% were in business and financial management. Other popular career areas included marketing, sales and advertising and social and welfare professions. This demonstrates the range of employers that value the skill set developed through studying law. 

Where are the jobs?

If you qualify as a solicitor, there are openings in many different types of legal practices. High street solicitors' practices offer the widest range of caseloads, from criminal and family to probate and business law. Local and national government also provide opportunities, and many large organisations employ in-house legal teams.

The majority of barristers are self-employed and typically become tenants in a set of chambers. Organisations that employ barristers include the Government Legal Service (GLS) , the Armed Forces legal services and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) . Barristers are also employed on a non-practising basis within industry and commerce, as well as in solicitors' firms. For more information see legal services.

For more information on potential career areas, see:

• public sector - departments include health, education, social services and environment.
• accountancy, banking and finance - covers a wide range of employers including investment and commercial banks, building societies, broking firms, independent financial advisers, insurance and reinsurance companies, and accounting firms.
• charities and voluntary work - advice work is just one area of employment in this sector, and appeals to many law graduates.

For further information on possibilities in other employment areas, see job sectors. 

Statistics are collected every year to show what HE students do immediately after graduation. These can be a useful guide but, in reality, because the data is collected within six months of graduation, many graduates are travelling, waiting to start a course, paying off debts, getting work experience or still deciding what they want to do. For further information about some of the areas of employment commonly entered by graduates of any degree discipline, check out What Do Graduates Do?  and your degree...what next?