These days, looking for a career can be tough. Everybody needs to make sure that they’ve got a decent line of work, but finding that next job can be really something of a serious chore. The economy has seen some pretty tough going over the course of the last several years, and just about everybody has been impacted in one way or another. Many workers have lost their jobs, and many recent college graduates have had a tough time finding employment in what’s become a very, very competitive marketplace. If you’re thinking about studying for a certain career, it’s going to be a very good idea to know exactly what line of work that you think you will want to pursue.

Perhaps you’ve always had something of a fascination with the law. Many people love the courtroom and all the drama it holds, but becoming a lawyer is a pretty intense career option. You might be thinking that you’d love a legal career, but aren’t sure that you want to commit to becoming a lawyer just yet. If this sounds like you, there are a lot of jobs you can take in the legal industry that don’t require you to actually become a lawyer.

1. Court Reporter. If you’re familiar with legal proceedings in just about any way, you’ve probably either seen or heard of the court reporter at some point. Each court proceeding is a pretty big deal. For this reason, it’s very important that everything is recorded as it happens. People talk pretty fast, so a court reporter (or stenographer, as they’re often called) will use a special machine to take shorthand notes of everything that gets said.

2. Paralegal. Working as a lawyer involves a lot of busywork. In fact, any legal professional is going to have a lot of stuff that they need to do, and a paralegal is very important when it comes to this sort of thing. A paralegal is basically a legal assistant. This position is a great way to get yourself an introduction to the legal industry.

3. Mediator. Going to court can actually be pretty seriously expensive. A lot of times, individuals will want to settle their cases in a more affordable way. As a mediator, you’ll help parties settle their disputes outside of a courtroom so that expensive legal fees don’t have to be incurred.

4. Legal Secretary. A legal secretary is basically an administrative assistant for a lawyer. In this position, you’ll help your employer stay organized. This way, the lawyer for whom you work will have no trouble remembering when appointments are or knowing to send that cash for structured settlement payments on time.

5. Jury Consultant. In many cases, a legal team will hire jury consultants to help them make sure they’re picking the best possible jury. These professionals will help out by giving some insight into potential jurors, allowing a legal team to make sure they’re picking individuals who will get them the verdict they want.