After months of anticipation, Texas Bar results are to be released today soon to be followed suit by the rest of the country.  As thousands of law school graduates hold their breaths, one has to wonder if these soon-to-be law professionals realize that just having passed the Bar could prove to be not enough in securing employment in their field.

With today’s record-breaking unemployment rates, having risen to 10% in California, even lawyers, who have previously been impervious to the economic troubles that many other professions face, have not been spared from law firm cuts and downsizing.  New graduates are sure to run into problems in landing those top firm jobs as more and more unemployed clamor for even the lower paid positions in the law industry.  Many lawyers have lost their jobs and have now turned to working from home, on a contract basis, in order to earn their incomes.  Although working from home may not be the best choice after 3 years of expensive law school, it can help offset expenses while you build experience and plump up that resume.

For students in law school aspiring towards that elusive “pass” on the Bar exam, it can be difficult, if not impossible to keep a traditional job.  Although working while in law school is not recommended by the board, rising expenses such as tuition and books force many students into keeping a job while attempting to keep up with their studies.  Working at home could be an ideal option for law school students.  Work at home jobs include call center jobs, online tutoring jobs, virtual assistant jobs, mystery shopping jobs, home agent jobs, transcription jobs, and a variety of writing jobs.  All many of these jobs need to get you started is a telephone and a laptop.  Often, work at home jobs can be accomplished at the library or between study sessions.  These jobs also tend to be flexible in scheduling and have the potential to work really well with class and study schedules.  Even a part-time work at home job can help tremendously with the expenses that arise with school.  For those who are attempting to keep a marriage functioning and even braving parenting while attending law school, at home work can provide the ideal situation to being close to your loved ones.  Also, consider the value of being able to take your work anywhere with you, via laptop, and not fall behind.

For new lawyers who don’t see their dream job coinciding with existing firms, the only option could be to start their own firm.  Starting a new law firm without ten or twenty years in the field can be exhausting but well worth the trouble.  Working from an in-home office can save money while you build your business.  Although the current economic status can seem bleak and frustrating to anyone looking for a job, with a bit of flexibility and real hard work, new lawyers can cut their teeth in the industry and build a solid career.