Career: Public Interest Lawyers
American schools, like much of society, used to be segregated. Children of color couldn't attend schools for whites. And schools for kids of color usually had fewer resources than white schools.
In the 1940s and 1950s, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) organized some legal cases to challenge this policy. These cases were eventually combined into one case, Brown v. Board of Education. On May 17, 1954, the NAACP won -- inspiring struggles for justice around the country and the world.
Public interest lawyers bring lawsuits that work to get positive results for a large class, or group, of people. They work for organizations such as Environmental Defense and the National Center for Youth Law.
Did You Know?
- Law-school graduates have to pass a test, called a bar exam, in order to be licensed to practice law.
Are You Ready To...?
- Work in offices, law libraries, and courtrooms
- Write clearly about complex issues
- Keep up with changes in the law
- Defend clients in court
- Do research
- Travel
It Helps to Be...
Passionate about justice and excited by the prospect of helping to bring it about for large groups of people. That passion and excitement will sustain you as you work long hours for low wages. You'll also need to be highly ethical and have excellent analytic and reasoning skills.
Make High School Count
- Build excellent reading, writing, and speaking skills. You’ll need them in your work, and you won’t get into law school without them.
- Do your best in all your classes. Getting good grades and having a well-rounded academic background will help you get into law school.
- Join the debate team and sign up for speech.
- Read the news to keep up with issues affecting groups such as women, children, people of color, and the elderly, as well as environmental issues.
- Volunteer or intern with a public interest law firm. Ask the attorneys there to talk with you about their careers.
Did You Know?
- The lead attorney in Brown v. Board of Education was Thurgood Marshall, who later became the first African American Supreme Court justice.
Outlook
Government economists expect job growth for lawyers to be as fast as the average for all careers through 2016. However, be prepared for a lot of competition. Each year, many students graduate from law school. Those who graduate from a top school with good grades will do best in the job hunt. It also helps to specialize in an area such as elder law or environmental law.
Compensation
The National Association for Law Placement studied the 2006 salaries of lawyers who work for public-interest organizations and found the following median salaries:
- Entry-level: $40,000
- Five years of experience: $52,000
- Eleven to fifteen years of experience: $65,000
