ADVERTISEMENTS

With all the law-firm layoffs, attorneys are finding themselves looking for new jobs -- any new job, even if it's a paralegal position. Ellie Trope of Mid-City in Los Angeles, near La Brea, is an attorney who was laid off in February 2008. After a five-month stint filling in for a maternity leave, Trope found herself growing desperate: "she reluctantly decided to lower her expectations and began applying for jobs as a contract administrator, an office administrator and a paralegal. But she struck out there too, in part because other lawyers were trying the same thing."

On the upside for paralegals, the paralegal job listings started including "No attorneys." Trope speculated that it was because companies and firms guessed attorneys would leave the paralegal positions as soon as they found lawyer jobs.

In some cases, not having a JD can work to your advantage.

Bloggers, promote your law blog by nominating your blog for inclusion in USLaw.com's Law Blog Directory and RSS Reader. Benefits described.