In Lieu of the Traditional Firm – Public Interest
Many lawyers working in the nonprofit sector say that they chose their job because of the personal rewards rather than the monetary ones. Helping people and improving communities, saving the environment, and working on issues that they are passionate about helped them decide on their specific careers.
Many say also that it takes commitment because working in the nonprofit sector is not without its stresses. Entry-level nonprofit salaries tend to be lower than in traditional legal jobs, and the issues dealt with can cause burnout because the need is so great and the workers are too few.
A lawyer in a public interest job will get great satisfaction in helping others. They will meet and work with interesting and passionate people who are committed to their work and are optimistic about making a difference.
If you think Public Interest Law may be your decision, start the process of learning about public interest by joining the College of Law Public Interest Advocates group.
PIA sponsors an annual speaker series, promotes awareness of public interest employment opportunities and funds student summer Public Interest Fellowships for students.
Check out Idealist , also known as Action Without Borders. If you are starting your public interest job search this is a great site! It has up to date job lists, and you can look internationally by continent. Some of the topics offered include Find or Post a Job, Starting Your Job Search, One-Year Service Occupations in the US, Working Abroad and many more.
The best listing of public interest web links may be found here. Some of the listings include Community Service Web sites, Child Advocacy, Civil Liberties, Consumer Law/Corporate Accountability, Direct Legal Services, Domestic Violence, Elder Law and many more.