MML #041: 5 Career Paths for Your Legal Second Act

Last week, I explained why the traditional retirement model doesn't work for most lawyers. This week, let's talk about what does work—the specific career transition models attorneys are using successfully.

These aren't theoretical options. These are real paths that practicing attorneys are taking right now to build meaningful second careers that use their legal training without the demands of full-time practice.

1. Teaching and Training

Law schools are actively seeking experienced practitioners for part-time teaching positions. But teaching opportunities extend far beyond academia.

Consider continuing legal education programs. State bars need instructors. Professional organizations need presenters. Corporate legal departments need trainers who can help their teams navigate complex areas of law.

Teaching does more than let you share knowledge. It keeps you current. When you teach, you're forced to keep up with legal developments. You're engaging with curious minds. You're challenged to explain complex concepts clearly. All of this keeps your thinking sharp.

One litigation partner transitioned from a demanding practice to teaching trial advocacy at a local law school two days per week. She also develops CLE programs for the state bar. She reports the intellectual engagement is just as rigorous as practice, but without the client stress and unpredictable hours. She controls her schedule. She's home for dinner. And she's making a difference in how the next generation of lawyers approaches their work.

The financial model works too. While teaching rarely matches peak practice earnings, many positions offer $1,000-$3,000 per course, with CLE instruction adding another income stream. More importantly, the mental stimulation and professional identity these roles provide would be expensive to replace through other activities.

2. Mediation and Arbitration

If you became a lawyer because you enjoy problem-solving, mediation might be your ideal second act. You're still using your analytical skills and legal knowledge. You're still helping people resolve disputes. But you're not taking sides. You're not staying up nights worrying about trial strategy.

The work can be incredibly rewarding. You're helping parties find solutions they can live with. You're using your judgment and experience to guide negotiations. And the schedule is typically more predictable than practice.

The business model is flexible too. Some mediators work through dispute resolution centers. Others build private practices. Many do both. You can control your case load, set your own rates, and often work from home for much of the process.

A former business attorney obtained his mediation certification three years before leaving practice. By the time he transitioned, he'd already built a reputation and a referral network. Now he mediates business disputes 10-15 days per month—enough to stay engaged and earn meaningful income, but with plenty of time for travel and family.

The key here is to start your mediation training and certification while still practicing. Build the credential and the experience before you need the income.

3. Specialized Consulting

Your deep knowledge in particular legal areas doesn't lose value when you leave practice. Often it becomes more valuable.

Former healthcare attorneys advise hospitals on compliance issues without having to staff entire legal departments. Ex-employment lawyers help HR departments navigate complex situations on a project basis. Retired tax attorneys guide businesses through regulatory changes. The expertise you spent decades building becomes the foundation for high-level strategic work without the daily grind of practice.

What makes consulting appealing is the project-based nature. You're not managing a case load with court deadlines. You're not fielding emergency client calls. You're applying your judgment to specific problems, often with the flexibility to work remotely and set your own parameters.

The consulting model requires some business development, but your existing professional network is often your best source of clients. Attorneys who build successful consulting practices typically start having conversations about their transition 2-3 years before leaving practice, so potential clients know they'll soon be available.

4. Nonprofit Leadership

If you've been practicing long enough, you've probably been asked to join a nonprofit board. Maybe you've served on one. Now imagine making that kind of community impact a central part of your second career.

Attorneys bring enormously valuable skills to nonprofit boards: governance knowledge, strategic thinking, risk assessment, contract review, and the ability to ask hard questions. Organizations need these skills desperately, and many struggle to find board members with legal backgrounds.

The work provides what many lawyers crave: purpose, community connection, and the chance to use legal skills for causes that matter personally. Instead of billing hours, you're making a difference in causes that matter to you.

Some attorneys serve on multiple boards, creating a portfolio of commitments that keeps them engaged without overwhelming their schedule. Others take on executive director roles for small to mid-sized nonprofits, providing operational leadership guided by decades of professional judgment.

5. Limited Legal Practice

Not every attorney wants to stop practicing law entirely. Some just want to practice differently.

Limited practice means continuing to do legal work while controlling your workload and client base. This might mean serving as outside counsel for a few small businesses. Or handling specific types of cases on a project basis. Or providing overflow support to firms during busy periods.

The key is selectivity. You're choosing clients you want to work with. You're taking cases that interest you. You're saying no to work that doesn't fit your lifestyle or values. This approach gives you control. You choose clients and cases based on what interests you, not just what pays the bills.

This model worked for an estate planning attorney who transitioned to serving just 10 client families—all long-term relationships she valued. She updates their plans, handles trust administration, and provides ongoing counsel. She works from home, sets her own hours, and earns enough to supplement her retirement income comfortably. She's doing the work she loves without the overhead, staff management, and marketing demands of running a firm.

Which Path Is Right for You?

These models aren't mutually exclusive. The most successful transitions often combine several—teaching one class, mediating a few cases per month, serving on a board, and handling selected legal matters.

The question is which combination fits your interests, values, and lifestyle goals. Start exploring now. Test options. Build credentials. Have conversations.

Your second act is waiting. And it might be even better than the first.

Next week: The practical steps to make your transition successful, including how to overcome the common barriers that stop attorneys from moving forward.