Alternative careers are jobs which do not involve the traditional practice of law, such as working in a legal capacity for a firm, judge, public interest organization, corporation, or government. Alternative careers are sought by students who do not wish to practice law with their law degrees. Students interested in alternative careers must discern what interests them and which employers offer these types of positions. An alternative career job search usually requires that a student consult resources on different types of career paths and go on informational interviews to learn more about these jobs.
The UK Law Career Development Office has helpful written resources to assist you in discerning and searching for alternative careers. The books “What Can You do with a Law Degree” and “Running from the Law” are excellent resources and a good place to start this type of job search. The CDO TWEN Web Links area also contains links to sites which should assist you in searching for an alternative career.
The UK Stuckert Career Center, http://www.uky.edu/CareerCenter/, is the main career services office on campus which assists undergraduate students and students from other professional schools. The Stuckert Center may be a very helpful resource for students considering an alternate career. As a UK student, you are entitled to access their online job postings and utilize their written and online resources and career discernment tools, such as the Meyers-Briggs and the Strong Interest Inventory.
Non legal employers usually do not contact the law school about available positions. Instead, they often contact the UK Stuckert Career Center. If you are interested in gaining access to their online job postings or other resources, you should contact them directly to learn how to access these resources.
