Non-Lawyer Jobs to Watch in 2023

Many people in the wider culture think about lawyers when they think about the law. After all, there aren’t many TV dramas starring eDiscovery specialists or lease administrators — yet. Those working in the legal field have a different perspective. They understand and appreciate the value added by the growing number of talented legal professionals who don’t have a law degree. 

 

Drawing on research from Robert Half’s Salary Guide, here’s a rundown on four of the hottest non-lawyer jobs employers will be hiring for in 2023. 

 

 

As caseloads rise and overworked lawyers look to delegate more tasks, opportunities for paralegals (also known as legal assistants or legal support professionals) will keep growing. It’s a demanding, highly skilled role: paralegals work closely with clients and attorneys, performing critical responsibilities like research, document drafting and witness interviews. Many paralegals also supervise other staff, including file clerks and legal secretaries.  

 

The profession is evolving fast. Paralegals today use a variety of tech tools — case management, billing, e-signature and client intake software — to speed up or even automate routine tasks. This frees up time for them to focus on more strategic responsibilities. 

 

 

eDiscovery or litigation support professionals work at the intersection of law and technology. It’s their job to find, analyze, transmit and maintain digital evidence — a role that has grown in importance as digital records become the norm.  

 

Litigation support/eDiscovery specialists typically have a college degree. Many also have certifications to validate their advanced tech skills and knowledge of database and litigation support applications. To succeed in this role, you must be keenly aware of eDiscovery and litigation technology industry trends and have the communication skills necessary to provide training and user support to attorneys, paralegals and other legal specialists.  

 

 

Sectors such as healthcare and finance are now highly regulated, meaning corporations rely on compliance teams to keep them on the right side of the law. The core responsibilities of compliance specialists include: 

 

• Ensuring all contracts and company policies meet regulatory requirements 

• Promoting ethical practices across the full spectrum of their employer’s operations 

• Monitoring and reporting any suspicious or non-ethical activity within the company 

• Undertaking regular compliance audits for senior management 

 

Compliance professionals have abundant opportunities for career growth. Typically, they start as entry-level compliance analysts, requiring a bachelor’s degree or equivalent and some experience in compliance or auditing. As compliance analysts gain more experience, they work closely with compliance managers to understand how regulatory requirements affect the company and how to address these issues. Compliance manager and compliance director are the top-tier compliance roles, requiring 7 to 10-plus years of experience and preferably a master’s degree in finance or risk management. 

 

 

If you want to get a foothold in the legal sector but don’t have a college degree, consider the field of lease administration. Entry-level positions like lease assistant have no specific education requirements and offer talented professionals the opportunity to advance to roles like lease administrator and lease manager. 

 

Lease assistants, administrators and managers are typically employed by real estate practices or commercial property management companies. Common duties and responsibilities of lease administrators include: 

 

• Creating leases from templates 

• Ensuring compliance with county, state and federal regulations for landlords and tenants 

• Reviewing leases and verifying documents for proper execution 

• Abstracting leases into a database 

 

Lease managers supervise all tasks associated with documentation and operational support of lease and loan transactions. Both lease managers and lease administrators should have experience managing personnel, benefits, payroll and financials.  

 

Whether you’re passionate about technology or the finer points of federal regulations, the legal field is open to you — regardless of what you studied at school or college. Access the 2023 Salary Guide From Robert Half for more information on industry trends and starting salaries for non-lawyer legal positions. 

Jamy J. Sullivan is executive director of the legal practice at Robert Half, the world’s first and largest specialized talent solutions firm. Robert Half offers contract and permanent placement solutions, and is the parent company of Protiviti®, a global consulting firm. Visit RobertHalf.com.