Beyond the courtroom: Alternative careers for lawyers worth exploring in Canada

A legal career can be demanding, especially in litigation. However, you do not have to abandon your legal skills to shift to a different path.

In this article, we'll cover alternative careers for lawyers in Canada to consider before making a move. We'll also share some practical tips to help make your transition smoother.

What are the alternative careers for Canadian lawyers?

Whether you want to switch careers, find a new environment, or explore a fresh start, here are some alternative careers for lawyers to consider:

• arbitrator or mediator
• author or journalist
• compliance officer or consultant
• corporate work
• different practice area

"Litigation is not the only (or even 'usual') path for lawyers. There are many paths that don't involve any litigation for lawyers – broadly that is called 'solicitor' work, which includes corporate law and real estate," said Tim Wilbur. He is a lawyer and the global managing editor of Key Media's law publications, including Canadian Lawyer.

We'll discuss each of these career shifts below. You can also use the table of contents above to jump to any section. This video shares other alternative careers for lawyers that are worth exploring:

If you're considering law school, our article on how to become a lawyer in Canada is a good starting point.

Arbitrator or mediator

As a lawyer, you do not need to be a judge to help resolve disputes. Beyond helping clients understand the law, you can work as an arbitrator or mediator with an institution or organization and provide alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services.

Advantages of a career in ADR for lawyers

Choosing a career in any of the ADR modes has its own advantages:

• litigation experience is a plus: your courtroom experience handling disputes translates well into ADR processes
• control over your workload: lawyers in this field are usually contract-based, letting you accept files from different organizations, or take an in-house role

Author or journalist

Lawyers are natural writers, from writing pleadings and legal opinion letters to lengthy contracts for clients. As such, being an author or a journalist is one of the best alternative careers for lawyers in Canada.

Getting into writing

Wilbur shared his experience on how he got into writing as a lawyer when he did his articling at a litigation law firm in Toronto.

"While I intended to continue to practise in this area, I started working as an editor at what was then called The Lawyers Weekly. I got that job because I had done a lot of work in law school at the student paper."

Once he started, Wilbur said he realized that it was his passion to do journalism, while still being in the legal world. "I loved the combination of applying my legal knowledge, while having more input on the creative and story development element. I never left!"

Like Wilbur, your previous experience from law school, or even earlier, can lead you toward an alternative legal career.

Here's another video that can help you decide which alternative career works best for you:

Check out our Canadian Lawyer conferences, events, and summits in 2026 to gain perspective from peers on alternative careers for lawyers.

Compliance officer or consultant

Many corporations struggle to keep up with laws and regulations, which can change frequently. They also need to track requirements from regulators.

These demands push lawyers away from the courts and into compliance roles. Like a policy analyst and corporate privacy advisor, a compliance officer role lets you work at a different pace while still operating within a structured, rules‑based environment.

Why compliance officer fits legal skills well

Here are some reasons why becoming a compliance officer is a good alternative career for you as a lawyer:

• lawyers bring strong research, writing, and analytical skills to non‑traditional jobs, and compliance work draws on all three
• lawyers know how to correctly read the law, interpret its regulations, and apply them to detailed fact patterns for their corporate clients

When organizations need someone who understands and applies the law, lawyers are well‑placed to turn that expertise into a compliance career.

Corporate work

If you have business interests, moving in-house as a corporate lawyer can be a strong alternative to staying in a firm. Your knowledge of Canada's laws on finance, banking, and securities laws is also an advantage when seeking roles with businesses and corporations of all sizes.

Reasons to go corporate

Below are some advantages why lawyers jump ship from law firm work to corporate environment:

• opportunity for career growth: eventually, you can step higher on the corporate ladder, such as becoming a project manager, business development manager, or chief operations officer
• financial stability: according to our Canadian Legal Salaries report, in-house counsel and general counsel are among the best-paid lawyers in the country on the average

Corporate lawyers are also not confined to one role; you can go to other sub-areas of corporate law, such as becoming a corporate ethics officer, privacy adviser, and other corporate governance-related roles.

Working on a different practice area

Sometimes, the best "alternative career" for you is to explore a new legal practice area, and not to entirely switch to a new profession. Other law‑related fields that you may want to explore include:

• tax lawyers: among the best-paid lawyers in Canada, tax counsel are sought by both individuals and corporations
• criminal lawyer: while being a criminal lawyer can be demanding, it is a purposeful career shift for lawyers who want a more hands‑on and socially meaningful practice
• intellectual property (IP) lawyer: a growing specialisation in Canada, particularly as technology and innovation disputes increase

Exploring other legal practice areas can be the simplest form of career change. It works well if you still enjoy firm life but want to focus on a different area of the law.

Tips before switching to an alternative career for lawyers

Here are some tips from Wilbur for lawyers or law students who want to pursue an alternative career in the legal field:

Weigh the pros and cons

It helps to look at both sides before making a career switch. As for Wilbur, who also does podcasts with Canadian Lawyer's CL Talk, he says that the pros and cons of working in journalism as an alternative career for lawyers are the following:

Pros:

• keeps the creative juices flowing
• fast-moving
• there's an immediate impact in journalism
• talking to senior leaders in all fields of the law
• mission-driven (journalism is)
• predictable hours

Cons:

• not as many job opportunities in media, since it is an economically challenged industry
• not getting in great depth in any areas
• the fast-moving nature of media can be disorienting and feel uncertain

Writing about your own possible gains and losses before testing other waters can also be beneficial, just to see whether an alternative career may or may not work for you.

Ask some questions from peers

Wilbur also advised broadening your network and asking people genuine questions about their career paths. "You can incorporate networking into your job. It doesn't have to be just chatting at a party."

Some examples he cited are:

• joining a board
• volunteering at a charity
• doing some writing on the side in your area of interest
• asking clients out for lunch

Being patient during a career change

Wilbur also said to be patient. "The best opportunities come after people notice your long-term commitment to an area, so work hard but always spend time reaching out to people to learn more about what they do as well.

"Offer to help – don't ask for anything in return – and people will start helping you."

Alternative careers for lawyers: Keeping options open while exploring

Wilbur's final advice for those pursuing an alternative legal career is to take calculated risks. "There are no guarantees in your career, and the best careers are created by those who have them (not given to them by someone else)."

Lawyers who have moved into teaching, compliance, policy, writing, or entrepreneurship still use their legal skills daily. Changing direction does not mean starting from zero. It means putting those hard-earned skills to work in a different setting.

Bookmark Canadian Lawyer's Legal Education page for more news and updates for Canada's legal professionals, including guides on alternative careers for lawyers.