Legal training can help a student develop penetrating analytical skills and an exhaustive work ethic. Lawyers, in their ever-changing interpretations of the legal statutes which govern society's actions, prove that the practice of their craft is not always "by the book." In many instances, rather, attorneys are expected to establish order in the court - and in their personal careers.

Michael Moore, a career columnist and lawyer at Moore's Law, Milwaukee, suggests that careers in law sometimes develop out of "needle in the haystack opportunities." While he notes that the economic downturn has caused hiring freezes in many of the nation's law firms, he advices students of law and recent graduates to be confident that resourcefulness may pave the way for a fledgling career.

In an article in Inside Track, a newsletter published by the State Bar of Wisconsin, the lawyer recounts how, as a law student and new father, he delivered more than 400 newspapers each night between 2 and 4 a.m. to pay the bills.

Through aggressive networking, confidence and optimism, Moore says he was able to convince partners at a small law firm, who worked in areas outside of his specialty, that his diligence in processing transactional paperwork would be unmatched.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of lawyers is expected to grow 11% during the 2006-16 decade.