Alternative Careers for Lawyers (Princeton Review) [Paperback]

Hillary Mantis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Princeton Review | Publication Date: April 15, 1997

Rethinking your career strategy
Suggestions for nonlegal careers
Advice for dealing with the financial ramifications of leaving the practice of law
Real-life success stories


Lawyers have the highest depression rates, highest pressure, lowest popularity ratings, and the longest hours of almost any profession that exists. No wonder that according to a recent poll 70% of lawyers surveyed said they would start a new career if they could. If you are disillusioned by the realities of law practice or want to get into a different type of law, then you can start a new career. In Alternative Careers for Lawyers, you'll hear from many people who managed successful transitions: one of them is an NBC news anchor, another started her own bicycle tours company, and yet another built a $20 million attorney temp agency.

We'll show you how to manage every step of this uncertain yet ultimately liberating process:

Deciding whether to change careers or just switch jobs
Choosing which new careers to pursue
Re-tailoring your resume for non-legal careers like education, consulting, publishing, and sales and marketing
Networking, interviewing, furthering your education, and more

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Rethinking your career strategy
Suggestions for nonlegal careers
Advice for dealing with the financial ramifications of leaving the practice of law
Real-life success stories


Lawyers have the highest depression rates, highest pressure, lowest popularity ratings, and the longest hours of almost any profession that exists. No wonder that according to a recent poll 70% of lawyers surveyed said they would start a new career if they could. If you are disillusioned by the realities of law practice or want to get into a different type of law, then you can start a new career. In Alternative Careers for Lawyers, you'll hear from many people who managed successful transitions: one of them is an NBC news anchor, another started her own bicycle tours company, and yet another built a $20 million attorney temp agency.

We'll show you how to manage every step of this uncertain yet ultimately liberating process:

Deciding whether to change careers or just switch jobs
Choosing which new careers to pursue
Re-tailoring your resume for non-legal careers like education, consulting, publishing, and sales and marketing
Networking, interviewing, furthering your education, and more

About the Author

Hillary Mantis specializes in helping lawyers find alternative careers. She is Director of the Career Planning Center at Fordham University School of Law, and was the Associate Director of Career Services at New York Law School. She is a graduate of Brown University and Boston College Law School.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Review (April 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679778705
• ISBN-13: 978-0679778707
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #737,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Superficial, February 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Alternative Careers for Lawyers (Princeton Review) (Paperback)

This book gave the feel of being hastily put together. Of all the career change materials I've read for lawyers, this was the least helpful. The profiles of individual career changers were fun to read, but I wish that the book offered more research and real practical advice.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Like legal search firms, focused on top tier/ranked lawyers, October 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Alternative Careers for Lawyers (Princeton Review) (Paperback)

I found that this book, while interesting, only applies to lawyers who graduated from top tier law schools at the top of their class. There are a lot of lawyers who did not graduate from top tier law schools and were not top of their class. I wished this book addressed attorneys in latter position, or at least considered them. I would love to have read about an average lawyer who is sick of the law, quit and started another career as real estate agent or the like. I would like to have seen more ideas on career choices that law could relate to and more time spent on the process of starting another career, how it was done and steps taken. This book is not much use if your not a top graduate who is practicing at a major New York law firm. And if you are...good luck to you in breaking free.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars worthless, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Alternative Careers for Lawyers (Princeton Review) (Paperback)

This book was superficial and in many places, such as the salary review of other professions, completely inaccurate and inapplicable to salaries in the Bay Area, and probrably most metropolitan areas in the US. I was extremely disappointed in the lack of substantive information.