You’ve worked hard for that Law Degree, but will you feel like you are throwing it away if you jump into public service? If you enjoy independence and dealing with issues from a government perspective instead of private practice while gaining real world experience rapidly, then a Legal Career in Government could be the place for you!

What Opportunities are There for Lawyers?

Even if you do not receive a Governmental Affairs Certificate with your JD, there are opportunities for a budding legal career with the government. Many individuals begin practicing law in the public sector because they enjoy working for the ‘public good.’ Governmental offices throw legal associates into practice generally due to budget issues through a process of train as you go, unlike their private mid-size and large counterparts who prefer a drawn out training period.

It is a given fact that salaries are lower with government attorneys, but they are not required to meet billable hour quotas either. They are though very busy and generally have volumes of work load due to resource constraints.

Who is Hiring Lawyers in Government?

The government agencies hiring the most law students are the Department of Justice and the Armed Services. Law students used to monitor each agency they were interested in joining and applying for positions with each. Now, USAJobs makes the entire process much easier for monitoring legal careers with the government.


What Legal Career Types are Available in Government?

It is much easier to just show what opportunities are presently available at the time this article was written. Below are several job postings with USAJobs.gov for current legal careers and will give an idea of the types of legal positions, locations, agencies, and salary ranges:

Job Title: Attorney Advisor (Labor)/Law Clerk

Agency: Federal Labor Relations Authority

Job Announcement Number: FLRA-DE-10-006

SALARY RANGE:62,467.00 – 81,204.00 USD /year
SERIES & GRADE: GS-0905 0904-11/11
PROMOTION POTENTIAL:14
DUTY LOCATIONS: 3 vacancies – Washington DC Metro Area, DC

Job Title: Deputy Chief Counsel

Agency: Department Of Health And Human Services

Job Announcement Number: OS-2010-0002

SALARY RANGE:118,846.00 – 155,500.00 USD /year
SERIES & GRADE: GS-0905-15/15
DUTY LOCATIONS: few vacancies – Atlanta, GA; few vacancies – Dallas, TX; few vacancies – San Francisco County, CA

Job Title: Paralegal Specialist

Agency: Army Corps of Engineers

Job Announcement Number: WTHG10038098D

SALARY RANGE: 47,448.00 – 61,678.00 USD /year
SERIES & GRADE: YA-0950-02/02
DUTY LOCATIONS: 1 vacancy – WA – Walla Walla

Job Title: Assistant General Counsel

Agency: Department Of Housing And Urban Development

Job Announcement Number: 03-EXP-2010-0004B

SALARY RANGE: 123,758.00 – 155,500.00 USD /year
SERIES & GRADE: GS-0905-15
DUTY LOCATIONS: 1 vacancy – Washington, DC

YouTube Video by Work4Gov: Paralegals & Legal Assistants



(Disclaimer: Work4Gov is not affiliated with ApplyForAGovernmentJob.com.)