Law careers you can consider in the Philippines
A career in law can be noble, respectful, and fulfilling. Through it, you can contribute towards ensuring justice and betterment for all people in society. You can specialise in various types of jobs in law, such as corporate, criminal, family, environmental, and labour and employment law. With enough experience in the field, you can also set up a practice.
We can help you if you're considering a career in law or planning to switch between legal professions. Here's what we'll cover:
What are careers in law?
Lawyer careers have several levels. They range from attorneys to support and administrative jobs. These law jobs may have you work in different places. These include private firms, government agencies, and non-profits. Sharpen your spoken and body language, listening, and analysis skills. These skills can help you in other jobs, like journalism, human resources, or management.
To become a lawyer in the Philippines, you’ll first need to complete any four-year pre-law undergraduate program. Common choices are political history, accounting, and economics. After that, you can pursue a law degree. It will take another four years. Then, you must pass the bar exams. Once that’s done, you’re now a lawyer.
Careers in law you can explore in the Philippines
Here are some different law career paths and lawyer careers you can explore:
Practising law
Practising law involves providing legal services and representation to clients. Lawyers apply legal principles and judgment to the situations or objectives of their clients. A lawyer's roles and duties include representing clients in court. They also offer advice and draft legal documents. The roles of lawyers also vary depending on the specialisation they work in.
Finance law
Finance law controls financial services such as banking, insurance, securities, and consumer protection. It ensures fairness in the financial system and the proper functioning of financial markets. Financial lawyer roles structure financial transactions, ensuring they align with regulatory standards. They also defend or make claims based on their clients' interpretations of financial agreements.
If you want to be a finance lawyer, it’s advisable to take up a relevant pre-law course such as BS Accountancy. You don’t need to be a CPA to proceed to law.
Environment law
Environmental law protects the environment. It also protects human health and natural resources. It does this through regulations and policies. It includes issues such as pollution control. It also includes biodiversity preservation, air and water quality, and waste management. Environmental lawyers advocate for the environment to ensure regulatory compliance. They represent clients in legal disputes and advise on environmental policies and legislation.
If you want to focus on environmental law, getting pre-law degrees in STEM can provide a strong foundation.
Criminal law
Criminal law defines conduct regarding dangerous actions to safeguard society. It also includes the punishment and rehabilitation of people who violate such laws. Criminal defence lawyers defend individuals, organisations, and entities charged with a crime. They resolve cases promptly and favourably while ensuring ethical and professional behaviour.
International law
International law is a set of standards and rules involving relations between states. They cover globally important issues, such as human rights, economic relations, war, and diplomacy. The United Nations and the World Trade Organization oversee international law. They handle issues that fall under it. International lawyers work with the legal relationships between nations and their governments. They also work with international organizations and private parties. Earning a degree in international studies can be beneficial.
Law enforcement
Law enforcement is a system of government members and agencies that enforce laws and maintain public order. It aims to protect the public, life, and property to maintain peace in society. Law enforcement officers protect lives and property while maintaining justice and order. Many law enforcement agencies require a high school diploma or equivalent and relevant work experience in the field.
Legal advisors
Legal advisors provide legal advice and support to law enforcement agencies. They specialise in one area of law. They offer advice on many legal matters. These include labour disputes, workplace conflicts, contract disputes, and harassment suits.
Working in court systems
Working in the court system can be challenging and rewarding, with various roles and responsibilities. Below are some legal jobs in this domain:
Judges
Judges preside over court proceedings, ensure adherence to court rules, and issue rulings on cases. They make legal rulings on motions and determine the appropriate sentence upon the conviction of the defendant. A strong knowledge of politics, criminal justice, legal studies, or business is important for the role. Experience practising law as an attorney helps if you're seeking a judgeship.
Law clerks
Law clerks conduct legal research. They write legal opinions and help judges prepare cases. They draft trial briefs and other legal documents and verify briefs.
Court reporters
Court reporters create a verbatim transcript of court proceedings using specialised stenography equipment. They also track documentary exhibits used in the proceedings. They may also offer real-time translation. Essential skills for this role include the ability to type at speed, attention to detail, and often, proficiency in shorthand. For this, you can consider taking a specialised training program in shorthand reporting.
Law consulting
Law consulting involves legal experts. They provide expert advice, analysis, and guidance on legal issues to clients. Here are some jobs in legal consulting:
Legal consultants
Legal consultants provide specialised legal expertise. They do so for businesses or individuals. They focus on specific legal issues. This involves issues about compliance, patents, deals, risks, lawsuits, and governance. You can consider specialising in a specific area of the law, such as employment law, real estate law, or medical law.
Management consultants
Management consultants analyse business operations and recommend solutions, often with legal implications. They provide expert advice and guidance. It is in areas such as organisational structure, finance, strategy, and operations. A bachelor's degree in business administration, business, economics, marketing, or IT can help.
Compliance officers
Compliance officers ensure an organisation adheres to relevant laws and regulations. They also provide training and guidance to employees on compliance matters. Popular bachelor's degree choices for this career include legal studies. They also include economics, accounting, and management.
Legal education
Legal education means providing education and training. It is for individuals in the principles, practices, and theory of law. Below are some jobs in this field:
Law professors
Law professors teach law courses at universities and train future generations of lawyers. They serve on committees within the law school and publish academic articles, books, and other publications. You can start your journey by getting an LL.B in Law. Then, to pursue a career in academia, you'd need further qualifications such as an LL.M in Law. Search for law teaching fellowships or visiting assistant professor roles to gain experience in the field.
Legal writing instructors
Legal writing instructors help law students develop strong legal writing and research skills. They design and deliver a curriculum on legal research and writing. You can join campus groups. You can also use pro bono opportunities after law school to gain practical experience.
Legal administration
Legal administration involves organizing legal operations. It happens in corporations, government agencies, and law firms. The goal is to ensure compliance with legal procedures and processes. Some jobs in legal administration include:
Paralegals
Within the legal profession, there are different levels of lawyers. Paralegals help lawyers with many legal tasks. These include case prep, research, and drafting. On completing a bachelor's degree in legal studies or a related course you can take a paralegal associate degree.
Legal assistants
Legal assistants perform administrative and clerical tasks in legal settings. Their responsibilities include preparing legal documents, filing paperwork, and managing client intake.
Conclusion
A career in law can be morally fulfilling and financially rewarding. As a professional in this field, you can also influence policies and decisions. These can help positively shape the lives of people around you. There's increasing demand for legal professionals in different domains, including finance and business. You can choose from various specialisations, such as corporate, criminal, family, tax, and intellectual property law.
Your workload and environment will depend on your specialisation and place of work. For instance, if you're a corporate lawyer specialising in mergers and acquisitions at a large international law firm, you may experience a high-pressure environment with extended hours. In contrast, family lawyers may have more predictable schedules with fewer periods of intense work. You should review and evaluate your interests, strengths, values, and lifestyle when choosing a specialisation.
FAQs
Here are some FAQs you can refer to:
- What is the best career in law?
One of the top careers in law is head of legal, particularly in the banking and financial services sector. However, the best career in law ultimately depends on your interests. - What type of lawyer is high in demand?
The roles of lawyers in the corporate and legal professions with experience and expertise in compliance and regulatory affairs are currently in high demand. This is due to an acceleration of growth in the business and finance sector. - What type of lawyer is the highest paid?
The head of legal in banking and financial services is among the highest-paid legal professionals. Tax and litigation lawyers working for law firms also earn handsomely. - What is the best-paying law job?
Types of law jobs in banking and financial services are in scope due to the increasing complexity and nature of business regulations and compliance. - Which type of law is best to study?
Some popular areas you can consider are business, advertisement, criminal, constitutional, and family law. Take the time to research the areas that you plan on pursuing. Make sure they align with your goals and interests. - What type of lawyer is the least stressful?
Areas such as estate planning, health, labour and employment, and intellectual property laws are typically less stressful than others. Though the work involved in these areas can be complex and demanding, you have the freedom to choose your schedules. The timelines are much more flexible, and the work is less adversarial. - Besides being a lawyer, what jobs can I get with a law degree?
You can find work in areas such as journalism, academia, human resources, and tax consulting. Your law degree demonstrates your strong communication, analytical reasoning, and problem-solving skills. You're also much more likely to be proficient in research and analysis, writing, data management, and legal knowledge. - Are there any high-paying legal careers that don't require a law degree?
Compliance officer is a high-paying job that usually requires a degree in business, public administration, or a related field. As part of this job, you'd perform regular audits to ensure the company follows the standard industry guidelines and regulations. - What are some entry-level jobs in the legal field?
Some entry-level legal jobs include legal assistant, paralegal, administrative assistant, and legal support staff.
