#GLI

Tag: #GLI

Exploring Law Degrees Other than and Beyond the JD: Pathways for Students Interested in Law and Justice

Choosing a career connected to the law doesn’t always mean becoming an attorney. There are a wide range of graduate degrees available, some designed for practicing lawyers and others built for professionals who want to understand legal systems without stepping into a courtroom. For students interested in justice, policy, advocacy, or compliance work, these programs can open doors to meaningful careers that don’t require a Juris Doctor (JD).

Below is a guide to the most common law-related graduate degrees other than the JD, as well as some that go beyond the JD, what they offer, and who typically pursues them.

Master of Jurisprudence (MJ or M.Jur.)

Who it’s for:
Students and professionals who want to understand legal issues in their fields but do not want to become licensed attorneys.

What you’ll learn:
MJ programs introduce the fundamentals of legal reasoning, regulatory systems, and core areas of law. Students may pursue concentrations such as:

  • Employment and labor law
  • Corporate compliance
  • Health law
  • Education law
  • Criminal justice policy

Career impact:
Graduates often work in HR, healthcare administration, government agencies, school districts, or compliance-focused roles where understanding the law leads to better decisions and stronger leadership.

Master of Legal Studies (MLS) or Master of Studies in Law (MSL)

Who it’s for:
Non-lawyers seeking a solid grounding in legal concepts relevant to their professions.

What you’ll learn:
The MLS/MSL covers foundational legal subjects—contracts, regulations, ethics, administrative law, and legal writing—without the professional obligations of a JD. Many programs offer flexible formats and specialized tracks such as:

  • Public policy
  • Environmental regulation
  • Cybersecurity and privacy
  • Social justice
  • Intellectual property concepts for non-lawyers

Career impact:
Professionals in business, nonprofits, government, education, and technology use the MLS/MSL to improve their ability to interpret laws, collaborate with attorneys, and navigate complex regulatory environments.

Master of Laws (LLM)

Who it’s for:
Lawyers who already hold a JD

What you’ll learn:
An LLM provides advanced training in a specialized legal area. Popular options include:

  • Environmental or natural resources law
  • Human rights and humanitarian law
  • International business law
  • Intellectual property and technology law
  • Taxation

Career impact:
LLM graduates deepen their expertise, expand their career options, and meet eligibility requirements for certain U.S. bar exams.

Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD or SJD)

Who it’s for:
Existing lawyers seeking the highest academic credential in law, similar to a PhD.

What you’ll learn:
JSD/SJD students conduct original, in-depth legal research and produce a dissertation. Programs often include teaching opportunities and close mentoring from faculty scholars.

Career impact:
Graduates often become university professors, legal researchers, policy analysts, or advisors in government agencies, think tanks, and NGOs.

Doctor of Juridical Studies (JJD)

Who it’s for:
Lawyers pursuing a terminal research doctorate in law.

What you’ll learn:
Available at only a few institutions, the JJD mirrors the JSD/SJD format—advanced coursework, rigorous research, and a dissertation focused on complex legal issues.

Career impact:
Ideal for those interested in academic careers, public policy leadership, or high-level legal research.

Which Degree Is Right for You?

If you’re curious about law but unsure whether law school is the right path, degrees like the MJ and MLS offer legal literacy without requiring bar licensure. Students planning to become attorneys may gravitate toward advanced programs like the LLM, JSD/SJD or JJD.

Each program supports different goals, from strengthening your career in compliance or public policy to preparing for global practice or academic research. Thinking about a future related to law, justice, or policy—even if you’re not planning to become a lawyer—opens up a world of possibilities.

Bryan Haddad Zamorano: Fieldwork, Growth, and Environmental Purpose

Bryan Haddad Zamorano ’26, Majors: Environmental Studies & Music
 Seasonal Conservation Technician (Summer 2025)
 Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin / Zoological Society of Milwaukee

Bryan spent his summer on a conservation mission that most people will never experience, helping protect one of the world’s rarest butterflies, the Poweshiek Skipperling. What started with uncertainty and self-doubt turned into a field-season full of discovery, confidence, and purpose.

Working with the Zoological Society of Milwaukee through NRF’s DICI program, Bryan surveyed fragile prairie habitats, learned professional wildlife monitoring techniques, and helped process real conservation data used by researchers fighting to save an endangered species. His days ranged from carefully navigating tall grass in search of tiny pollinators to long, focused hours identifying and organizing species photos, a real balance of field adventure and scientific precision.

Just as meaningful were the connections he built. Weekly NRF programming connected Bryan with conservation professionals and interns of colour who helped him see a place for himself in the field. That support, and seeing people like him leading conservation efforts, shifted his sense of what’s possible.

This experience didn’t just grow Bryan’s skills; it reshaped his direction. Inspired by the blend of ecology and community impact he witnessed, he shifted his path to Environmental Studies and Music, determined to use creativity and storytelling to bring more voices into environmental conversations.

Bryan leaves this internship not only with field experience, but with clarity, confidence, and a renewed belief in where he belongs.

This internship was made possible through generous donor funding, which supports students in gaining real-world experience without the stress of balancing summer expenses. Hoping to intern next summer? Schedule an appointment at the Career Centre and we can help you! The summer internship funding application will open in early January, after we get back from break. Learn more about funding for internships.

Kaitlin: Overcoming Challenges and Finding New Paths

Kaitlin Buelow ‘26, Majors: German, English Literature

Government Relations Intern

Bread for the World

Kaitlin spent her summer interning at Bread for the World in Washington, D.C., where she encountered both professional and personal challenges. As a newcomer to the world of D.C. advocacy, Kaitlin initially felt disconnected due to her different background from her co-workers and supervisors. Despite the diversity around her, she struggled to find common ground in casual conversations with coworkers. However, when she connected with regional advocacy leaders Florence French and Nicole Schmidt, Kaitlin found a shared passion for fighting hunger that helped her build meaningful relationships.

While working at the D.C. office, Kaitlin began to reflect on her own future and her desire to make an impact. She recognized that being in D.C. wasn’t the only way to help make positive change in the world, nor the place where she’d be most effective in doing so. Instead, she decided to focus on the tangible, local effects of policy on communities like hers back home. This realization led her to pursue Education courses in her final year at Lawrence and work toward her teaching license.

Despite shifting her focus, Kaitlin’s time at Bread for the World was transformative. She improved her writing skills, with a piece published in Bread’s Institute Insights, and worked on her professional communication abilities. Whether working independently or as part of a team, Kaitlin learned to adapt, reconnect after miscommunications, and persevere through challenges. Kaitlin mentioned “My experience at Bread has not simply opened doors to me, but given me the tools to open them for myself.” 

This internship was made possible through generous donor funding, which supports students in gaining real-world experience without the stress of balancing summer expenses. Hoping to intern next summer? Schedule an appointment at the Career Center and we can help you! The summer internship funding application will open in early January, after we get back from break.

Economics and Business Analytics double major and a Data Science minor at Lawrence University as well as an Event Coordinator at Pan Asian Organization and Social Media Manager at LU Data Science Club. Connect with Nadika in LinkedIn

Meet Inaya: Standing for Immigrant Rights and Gaining Legal Exposure

Inaya Rivera ’28 Majors: Government and Philosophy 

Legal Intern 

Safe Passage Project 

Meet Inaya: Standing for Immigrant Rights and Gaining Legal Exposure 

Inaya Rivera ’28, a Government and Philosophy major, spent her summer as an intern at Safe Passage Project, a non-profit devoted to providing legal support for immigrants and refugee children. During her time at Safe Passage, she dedicated herself for immigration law – helping immigrants with legal forms, visa applications, and serving as a translator for Spanish-speaking people. There, she understood the importance of clear communication and compassion in legal advocacy, handling her cases with care and precision. 

Inaya’s work at Safe Passage was not limited to paperwork. She also experienced firsthand insights into the emotional challenges of immigration hearings, getting the chance to sit in on live court sessions and collaborate with attorneys to prepare clients for their day in court. These experiences gave her a firsthand, practical understanding of the legal system, which polished her ability to handle complex, sensitive situations with professionalism during the internship and for the future. Through this internship, Inaya not only strengthened her legal skills but also found her growing passion for justice, reinforcing her commitment to a career in law and human rights.  

This internship was made possible through generous donor funding, which supports students in gaining real-world experience without the stress of balancing summer expenses. Hoping to intern next summer? Schedule an appointment at the Career Center, and we can help you! The summer internship funding application will open in early January, after we get back from break. Learn more about funding for internships. 

Computer Science major and Data Science & Mathematics minor at Lawrence University, and the President of the Lawrence University Data Science Club. Connect with Sabin on LinkedIn

USAJOBS Resume Best Practices (October 2025)


Per the new Federal Merit Hiring Plan, all federal resumes are not to exceed two pages as of October 2025. USAJOBS has created a technical solution that will limit resumes to two pages when submitting applications or using the USAJOBS resume builder. Below are some best practices when navigating these changes and rewriting the federal resume.

Content:
• Prioritize recent work experience that is most relevant to the duties and qualifications listed on the job announcement. “Recent experience” and “relevant experience” are not the same thing. De-prioritize or remove non-relevant and outdated work experience.
• Align any work experience on the resume to qualifications listed on the job announcement.
• Use plain language that is understood by HR specialists and hiring managers. When you apply for a job, an HR Specialist will most likely review your resume first to determine whether you are qualified for the job.
• Use language that is results focused and includes numbers and metrics to quantify your work.
• You can include volunteer work, internships, and other non-paid work; these will still count towards your total years of experience.
• Ask yourself: Can the HR professional reading this, who may not have direct experience in my field, understand my experience in 10-15 seconds?

Formatting:
• USAJOBS recommends using at a minimum of .5 margins, 10-pt size font for main content and 14-pt size for headings.
• Use a font that is easy to read, such as Lato, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.
• Uploading a PDF resume is the best practice to maintain formatting and the number of pages, but many file types are accepted.

Make your resume searchable:
• Recruiters may contact people in their database to apply for jobs not posted on USAJOBS or only available at career fairs.
• Resumes can only be searchable for 18 months, and only 1 resume at a time can be searchable.
• Only 1–2-page resumes will be searchable; all resumes that were previously searchable expired in September 2025, so USAJOBS users will need to go back and update the searchable resume.

To learn more about the changes to federal resumes and other hiring considerations in the federal government, USAJOBS and OPM on LinkedIn.

Strategies on Keeping a Job Search Manageable 

When I think about managing a job search, one key message really stands out: you don’t have to treat every job application like it’s a life-or-death situation. Not all opportunities deserve the same level of effort, and trying to give every single one your full attention is a guaranteed recipe for burnout. What I’ve learned is that by approaching your search strategically—with clear categories and time boundaries—you can actually make the process much more efficient and less stressful. 

The Emotional and Time Cost of Job Searching 

One of the first things that stuck with me was how every application comes with two kinds of costs: time and emotional energy. That part really made sense. You can easily lose hours tweaking your resume or obsessing over a cover letter—only to hear nothing back. If you do this over and over again without a clear strategy, it’s no surprise you’d end up feeling frustrated or drained. 

So instead of throwing your energy at everything, it’s smarter to think about how much each opportunity is really worth. That’s where the tiered approach comes in. 

The Tiered Approach: Matching Effort to Opportunity 

This framework breaks down your job opportunities into three main categories—and I found this concept super helpful for balancing energy, time, and expectations. 

Tier 1: “Drop Everything” 

These are the dream jobs. The ones that make you think, “If I got this, I’d pack up and move tomorrow.” They’re rare—maybe only one or two like this show up during your whole search. 

Because they’re so meaningful, they deserve deep investment: 8 to 10+ hours of prep. That includes researching the company in depth, doing informational interviews, and customizing every single part of your application. Even if you don’t get the job, the process itself is rewarding because you’re learning and connecting. 

Tier 2: “Strong Opportunities” 

These are jobs you’d be genuinely excited to land, and they make up the bulk of a healthy job search. What I like about this tier is that it balances quality and efficiency—you put in a solid 30 to 45 minutes of effort, enough to stand out without exhausting yourself. 

Tier 3: “Acceptable” 

These are roles that you’d take if offered, but you’re not emotionally invested in them. Maybe they’re slightly out of your comfort zone or not quite ideal—but they’re still worth applying to. Here, you only spend about 5 minutes per application. The key is not getting emotionally caught up in these; the lower investment helps protect your energy. 

Non-Tiered (a.k.a. Don’t Apply) 

This part really clarified things for me: if you wouldn’t take the job even if offered, just don’t apply. That simple rule can save you so much time and stress. It’s easy to feel guilty about skipping opportunities, but applying to mismatched roles wastes your resources and clouds your focus. 

The 15-Minute Job Search: A Game-Changer 

Another powerful takeaway was the 15-minute job search strategy. I love how this flips the typical grind mindset on its head. Instead of sitting down for an undefined and overwhelming session, you give yourself a very short, clear block of time with a specific goal. 

For example: 

Target: “Search for data science internships in Chicago.” 

Goal: “Find two roles to apply to.” 

Time Limit: 15 minutes—no more, no less. 

This approach keeps things light, focused, and doable. It’s great for maintaining momentum, especially when juggling other priorities like school or personal life. 

Final Thoughts 

What I’ve really come to understand is that a well-managed job search isn’t just about maximizing output—it’s about protecting your energy, managing your time wisely, and investing differently depending on the value of the opportunity. By applying a tiered system and breaking tasks into manageable chunks, the process becomes much more human and less exhausting. 

Ultimately, you’re not just trying to land any job—you’re trying to land the right one. And that takes clarity, discipline, and a little self-compassion. 

Sabin Ku Shah is a Computer Science Major and a Data Science Minor at Lawrence University and also a Secretary at Lawrence University Data Science Club. As a Career Peer Educator for CJW and GLI Career Communities, Sabin is motivated to help students explore their career paths. Connect with Sabin on Linkedin