Employers
Approximately 657,170 lawyers are employed in the United States. The list of PIL employers is endless—ranging from government agencies, to nonprofit organizations, to advocacy groups. Organizations such as Equal Justice Works (https://www.equaljusticeworks.org) offer programs for lawyers to match their pro bono legal services to individuals or areas that need them most. Many private law firms also encourage their lawyers to provide pro bono work or volunteer in other capacities.
Starting Out
Beginning lawyers often work as law clerks or as assistants to senior lawyers doing research work and other routine tasks. After a few years of experience, they may be assigned their own cases; some may choose to go into private practice specializing in public interest law.
Many new lawyers are recruited by law firms or other employers directly from law school. Recruiters come to the school and interview possible hires. Other new graduates can get job leads from local and state bar associations.
- Active and Contemplative Religious Sisters and Brothers
- Addiction Therapists
- Adult Day Care Coordinators
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors
- Arbitrators
- Bail Bondsmen
- Bailiffs
- Bankruptcy Lawyers
- Behavioral Health Technicians
- Biotechnology Patent Lawyers
- Bodyguards
- Border Patrol Agents
- Bounty Hunters
- Career and Employment Counselors
- Career and Employment Technicians
- Child Life Specialists
- Civil Litigation Lawyers
- Clinic Managers
- Community Health Nurses
- Community Health Program Coordinators
- Community Health Workers
- Community Nutrition Educators
- Conflict Resolution Specialists
- Contact Tracers
- Corporate Lawyers
- Court Interpreters and Translators
- Court Reporters
- Creative Arts Therapists
- Criminal Lawyers
- Dietetic Technicians
- Directors of Corporate Sponsorship
- Directors of Fund-Raising
- Directors of Volunteers
- Elder Law Attorneys
- Environmental Education Program Directors
- Environmental Lawyers
- Environmental Lobbyists
- Family Lawyers
- Forensic Experts
- Forensic Meteorologists
- Fund-Raisers
- Geriatric Care Managers
- Geriatric Nurses
- Geriatric Psychiatrists
- Geriatric Social Workers
- Grant Coordinators and Writers
- Grief Therapists
- Health Advocates
- Hedge Fund Lawyers
- Historic Preservationists
- HIV/AIDS Counselors and Case Managers
- Home Health Care Aides
- Home Health Care and Hospice Nurses
- Hospice Workers
- Human Services Workers
- Intellectual Property Lawyers
- Judges
- Land Acquisition Professionals
- Land Trust or Preserve Managers
- Law Librarians
- Lawyers
- Legal Nurse Consultants
- Legal Operations Specialists
- Legal Secretaries
- Librarians
- Litigation Support/eDiscovery Analysts
- Lobbyists
- Mergers and Acquisitions Attorneys
- Museum Attendants
- Museum Directors and Curators
- Museum Technicians
- Music Therapists
- Mutual Fund Lawyers
- National Park Service Employees
- Neuropsychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists
- Nonprofit Social Service Directors
- Nursing Home Administrators
- Occupational Therapists
- Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides
- Orientation and Mobility Specialists
- Paralegals
- Park Rangers
- Patent Agents
- Patent Lawyers
- Personal Care Aides
- Polygraph Examiners
- Process Servers
- Proposal Managers
- Psychologists
- Public Opinion Researchers
- Public Relations Specialists
- Rabbis
- Real Estate Lawyers
- Recreational Therapists
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Roman Catholic Priests
- Sign Language and Oral Interpreters
- Social Workers
- Space Lawyers
- Tax Attorneys
- Tutors and Trainers
- Zoo and Aquarium Curators and Directors