Excerpted from
The Legal Career Guide: From Law Student to Lawyer, Fifth Edition
By Gary A. Munneke and Ellen Wayne

Evaluating the Job Market

One of the most important steps in career assessment involves evaluating the market for new lawyers to determine what is available. Some students may spend less time on this step because they already have a clear idea of what and where they want to practice. On the other hand, realities of the job market may require subsequent modification of initial objectives. For many law students, taking a broad look at the job market can be a useful or even necessary step in making sound career choices. Surprisingly, a substantial number of law students do not have a good feel for what opportunities exist for lawyers.

There is a great deal of misinformation floating around. Some of it is perpetuated by the news media and legal press. Some of it is passed from student to student at school. Some of it is perpetuated by pre-law advisors, practicing lawyers, and other supposedly informed individuals. As a smart consumer, you will undoubtedly listen to what everyone has to say, but believe only what you can verify yourself.

Another reason to conduct a market analysis is that the market itself is always changing. Before this book is published, some of the information it contains will be out-of-date. Whatever you read or hear should be subject to review to determine whether the information is still valid.

In conducting your market analysis, you will want to investigate five topics:

• What are the legal needs of the consumers of legal services?
  Stated another way, what substantive areas of law or fields where law training is useful will produce career opportunities of interest to you?


• What are the demographic characteristics of these consumers?
  In other words, where do they live and what do we know about them?


• What types of organizations will be delivering services to these consumers?
  More specifically, who will be hiring lawgraduates at the time you want to go to work?


• Where are these employers located?
  What credentials will employers require of prospective employees?


• What general economic conditions will affect the marketplace for legal services?
  What is the general state of the economy,and the legal economy specifically? Getting down to yoursituation, what are the financial rewards and prospects foremployment?

As a component of career assessment, the market analysis should precede the job search itself. It would be an exercise in futility to establish priorities upon which a job search will be based without looking at the parameters of job availability. You are much more likely to conduct a successful job search campaign if you take a look at the job market opportunities earlier in the process rather than later.