Many law students assume that their degree leads only to becoming a barrister or solicitor. While these careers are highly respected, they are therefore extremely competitive and hard to practically pursue. UCAS data 2025 shows that 27,150 students were accepted onto law courses in the UK. Yet, only around 8,000 solicitor and 500 barrister pupillages are available each year.
The good news is that a law degree provides skills that are in demand across a wide range of professional fields, like analytical thinking and the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly.
In this article, we examine top professions to have with a law degree. These will include financial services, government and public administration, corporate management and strategy, international organisations and NGOs, and media, communications and intellectual property. Each section will expand on the nature of the work and examples of organisations offering those professions. Furthermore, we will discuss typical entry routes and why legal training is an advantage.
Financial services
The financial services sector is a dynamic field defined by the movement of capital and the strict mitigation of risk across global markets.
Professionals may work in the following (to name only a few!):
- Regulatory compliance
- Risk
- Corporate governance
This means advising on anything from consumer lending rules to international trading standards. Examples of organisations offering these professions include large banks like Barclays and JP Morgan or global consulting firms such as PwC. New age fintech companies like Revolut and Monzo also offer opportunities. Typical entry routes are competitive graduate schemes or summer internships that often lead to job offers. Alternatively, you can opt for direct entry into compliance or risk analyst roles.
Law grads (hopefully!) bring the ability to interpret complex regulations. They integrate them into practical strategies that protect firms while ensuring smooth, compliant operations.
My top tip for applications: demonstrate commercial awareness. If your law school is anything like mine, then they’ve drilled this one into you. It is essential in most, if not all, professions, but particularly in financial services.
Commercial awareness in financial services means understanding a firm’s business environment, as well as its customers, competitors and key challenges. This understanding is crucial for knowing the organisation and your role within it. This may seem obvious to many law students, but it can catch you out! Do your research before beginning the application process – with a focus on current global events. My personal favourite is AI as it’s very relevant in today’s financial sphere and is constantly evolving.
Government and public administration
Working in government and public administration involves potentially contributing directly to shaping and implementing policies on a national scale. These policies and programmes affect communities and society.
Roles could be:
- Policy advisor
- Management of departmental compliance or large public sector projects
- Legislation drafter
Examples of organisations include the UK Civil Service or NHS trusts and regulatory bodies like Ofsted or Ofcom
Typical entry routes are highly structured and prestigious schemes, such as the Civil Service Fast Stream. Alternatively, you can enter through specialised legal trainee schemes or direct entry into analytical roles. Legal training is a significant advantage because these organisations rely entirely on governance. They require the ability to interpret and apply public law principles. Law grads possess the core skill to analyse legislation and provide well-founded policy recommendations.
My top tip for applications: demonstrate supportive and empathetic teamwork. As someone who has applied for the Civil Service Fast Stream, take it from me, focus on showcasing your interpersonal skills. Particularly, for example, helping without being prompted or mediating disagreements. Highlighting your commitment to the collective wellbeing and efficiency of your team proves you understand the cultural values necessary for effective work within these fields.
Corporate management and strategy
For those exploring top professions to have with a law degree, corporate management and strategy offers a path. It allows for the application of legal training to solving complex business challenges and guiding long-term organisational growth. The work often involves understanding a client’s needs, interpreting data, evaluating regulatory considerations and creating tailored recommendations that drive performance.
Roles can be:
- Strategy analysis
- Risk
- Business advisor
- Strategic planning
Entry routes are typically structured graduate analyst programmes and business internships. Legal training is a significant advantage because the core of this field is problem solving – a skill that most law grads possess. We can break down vast, complex information, then apply clear logical reasoning to identify root causes.
My top tip for applications: emphasise your logical thinking skills and how you can use them in ambiguous situations. The key here is to show how your legal methodology is a perfect analogue for business problem-solving. Focus on demonstrating that you can impose order on chaos and build systematic, defensible recommendations for high-stakes business decisions.
International organisations and NGOs
Careers in international organisations and NGOs are centred on turning legal and political frameworks into practical action across borders, often to tackle global issues – from human rights to sustainable development.
Specific roles could include:
- Legal officer
- Policy analyst
- Human rights advocate
- Project coordinator
Examples of organisations include the UN and its specialised agencies and major NGOs like Amnesty International and the Red Cross. Entry routes are highly competitive, often requiring postgraduate study, and are usually accessed via internships or graduate schemes. Legal training is an advantage because this work is built entirely on the principles of international law and comparative legal systems – law grads contribute the precise research and analytical capacity required to reconcile legal frameworks from different nations.
My top tips for applications: demonstrate analytical rigour alongside cultural and diplomatic awareness. You need to show you can navigate complex information, reconcile differing perspectives and communicate effectively in cross-cultural settings. If you have an accessible Model United Nations society somewhere around you, I recommend joining it to learn the skills necessary for going into this field.
Media, communications and intellectual property
The work in media and creative industries is exceptionally broad. It covers everything from core content management to business strategy and editorial policy.
Roles can include:
- Business affairs manager
- Rights management coordinator
- Journalist
- Editorial assistant
- Public affairs specialist or publicity assistant
Organisations include broadcasters like the BBC and Channel 4. Streaming giants like Netflix and Spotify are also part of the industry. Typical entry routes are often through specialised internships or general graduate programmes. Legal training is valuable because it provides the highly values transferable skills essential for success across this diverse sector.
My top tip for applications: clearly outline why you want to be part of the organisation and how your legal training makes you unique. Instead of only describing your skills, focus on showing how your perspective and understanding of legal frameworks can contribute in ways the organisation may not already have. This demonstrates that you can support their work while bringing something new to their team.
The diverse career options explored in this guide solidify the value of a law degree. We have identified these sectors – financial services, government and public administration, corporate management and strategy, international organisations and NGOs, and media, communications, and intellectual property – as the top professions to have with a law degree. This is not an exhaustive list, though!
They are the top professions because they uniquely reward the core intellectual toolkit developed during legal study. These professions are intellectually demanding. They allow graduates to apply skills like analytical thinking, problem-solving and precise communication in practical, high-impact contexts.
That said, the conventional route of becoming a solicitor or barrister remains a completely valid and respected path. It provides excellent training and clear career progression. These traditional paths continue to be the most straightforward way to practice law. They remain highly respected.
For graduates considering alternative professions, standing out as a law student requires demonstrating how the skills gained through legal study can be applied in new contexts. By leveraging these skills and demonstrating how they add unique value, law graduates can stand out. They can succeed in a wide range of careers while making the most of the education their degree provides.