Practice Management

You know, many go to law school but they have other interest.  There is nothing wrong with that, and in fact a law degree represents such a broad education in ways that are both beneficial and practical.  I have known many that either before or after law school pursued political, governmental, teaching and public service jobs.

The problem, of course, is that most law school do not give a lot of attention to these jobs, and there is not a great deal of information about them at most law school placement services, either from an entry level position or in an aspirational sense.

I would like to provide you a couple of sources to look at.

The first is The Plum Book.  This book is published every four years, and it is a compilation of all of the political jobs in the presidential administration.  It includes current jobs, who currently holds the position, along with the salary information.  Even if you are not interested in, or believe you have a chance at, any particular job, the book should give you an idea of the government jobs available and who you might contact to look into an entry level support position.

The second is the Jobs Board on Teagan Goddard's Political Wire.  It is a pretty extensive listing of not only political jobs, such as for campaign managers, but for reporters, professors, media relations, lobbyist, and the like.

If you are in law school still, you might want to see about interning for a local congressperson in your area.  Many will accept interns (although often unpaid) for a summer or semester in their home offices, outside of Washington, D.C.  It has to be good for developing contacts.

If you have a foreign language skill, you might also check into the local embassies or consulates in your area.

The same is true for any governmental office or program.  You can call them.  It does not hurt to ask.