Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Attorney

Each Thursday, I’m highlighting a work-from-home job or business.


Job Description: A lawyer helps people with a variety of legal problems or issues. Education: A law degree, plus passage of the bar exam in the state where you will be practicing law.

Skills: Knowledge of the law specialty you wish to practice, such as elder care, immigration, employment-related issues, wills, real estate, etc.

Job outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) finds that “employment of lawyers is expected to grow 13 percent during the 2008 to 2018 decade, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Growth in the population and in the level of business activity is expected to create more legal transactions, civil disputes, and criminal cases. Job growth among lawyers also will result from increasing demand for legal services in such areas as healthcare, intellectual property, bankruptcy, corporate and security litigation, antitrust law, and environmental law.”

The BLS also offers this advice: “For lawyers who wish to work independently, establishing a new practice will probably be easiest in small towns and expanding suburban areas. In such communities, competition from larger, established law firms is likely to be less than in big cities, and new lawyers may find it easier to establish a reputation among potential clients.” Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details

Possible employers or clients: Consider branching out on your own or joining up with other independent lawyers in the same or similar fields.

Preparation: Join the American Bar Association, your state’s bar association or a specialized law association, some of which are listed here. Network at various events or continuing education courses held by these organizations.

Get your foot in the door: Sponsor a local children’s sports team or get a booth at a school event to advertise your services. Find local events related to your specialty and mingle with potential clients, handing out business cards. Join the local Chamber of Commerce for other networking opportunities.

Testimony: Laura of Jackson, Miss., turned her love of legal research and writing into an at-home career after the birth of her first child. She works ten to fifteen hours a week as an attorney. “When my daughter started taking longer naps in the afternoon, I realized I could use that time to contribute to my family’s income while doing something that I loved,” she says.

Until next time,

Sarah