Legal professionals are a number of the highest-paid professionals on this planet, however that doesn’t imply they nonetheless couldn’t use facet hustle.
Even with average annual salaries of about $128,000, many attorneys are overwhelmed with payments and scholar debt.
Regulation college can price over $100,000 for tuition alone(!), and 90% of graduates borrow cash to finish their levels.
Fortuitously, there are many side hustles for attorneys to extend their revenue.
On this article, I’ll share my high picks so you discover the best choice for you.
1. Freelance Authorized Work
The facet hustle with the very best hourly price for attorneys is one that also makes use of your regulation diploma. Freelance authorized work would possibly contain:
- Making ready contracts
- Authorized writing
- Reviewing and submitting paperwork
- Authorized analysis
- Trademark registration
- Compliance evaluation
- and extra
Upwork — the world’s largest freelance market — has a complete part devoted to freelance legal work.
You probably have an space of specialization in thoughts, you would possibly take into account establishing store on Fiverr. (That’s the place I discovered a lawyer to assist with a current trademark submitting.)
On each websites you’ll be able to set your personal charges. In fact, double examine together with your agency that freelancing gained’t be a battle of curiosity or contract violation.
2. Develop into an Adjunct Regulation Professor
You probably have sufficient expertise as a lawyer and love academia, take into account changing into an adjunct professor.
Adjunct professors sometimes educate 1-2 courses per semester and earn $2,000-$7,000 per class. And with many courses shifting on-line, chances are you’ll even be capable to do that from residence.
I linked with one adjunct professor who actually dove headfirst into this facet hustle, educating at a dozen totally different establishments, principally with pre-recorded lectures.
Even in the event you don’t take it to that excessive, it’s nonetheless a manner to assist the following technology of attorneys and earn cash on the identical time.
3. Bar Examination and LSAT Tutoring
LSAT and bar examination tutoring is one other nice facet hustle for attorneys. Should you did nicely in your exams and luxuriate in serving to others, you’ll be able to earn $100 an hour or extra as a tutor.
An ideal LSAT rating can assist candidates get into high regulation faculties, and college students are keen to pay for assist to enhance their rating. Plus, tutoring is rewarding work the place you may make an actual affect.
4. Construct a Useful Web site
Considered one of my favourite facet hustles is creating useful content material on-line. This may very well be round your space of authorized experience, or actually on some other matter you’re inquisitive about.
For instance, Jon Dykstra, a lawyer in British Columbia, manages a complete portfolio of content material web sites that earn cash via promoting and affiliate partnerships.
Should you specialise in an space of regulation, you may as well create content material to get leads and clients.
The draw back is that running a blog takes time to see outcomes. You must be affected person sufficient to write down numerous useful articles, develop the positioning, and build backlinks.
Nonetheless, it’s a facet hustle with a number of leverage down the street — and one that may allow you to break free of trading time for money.
5. Freelance Authorized Writing
Authorized writing entails writing social media posts, articles, phrases of service, contracts, and even books about authorized matters. It is a nice facet hustle for attorneys to make use of their experience and receives a commission.
As a result of it’s such a specialised area of interest, authorized writers can earn as a lot as $500 per 1,000 phrases.
6. Reply Authorized Questions On-line
Websites like JustAnswer supply a versatile facet hustle for attorneys, the place you’ll be able to earn $2,000-$7,000 per thirty days.
When you apply as an skilled, JustAnswer connects you with individuals who have authorized questions. You may set your personal hours and the varieties of questions you’re best-qualified to reply.
You’ll receives a commission for every buyer you assist, however the massive benefit is that JustAnswer does all of the advertising for you.
7. Fractional Chief Authorized Officer (CLO)
Fractional C-Suite roles are increasingly common for startups and small companies. These are firms that aren’t fairly sufficiently big but to have in-house counsel or a full-time Chief Authorized Officer.
There’s a possibility to assist these firms on a part-time foundation, working intently with the board and govt group on authorized points. To search for gigs, you may market yourself on LinkedIn or join with startup founders in your space.
8. Regulation College Admissions Consulting
Grad college admissions are a aggressive recreation, and some providers cost $4,000-$6,000 to assist college students get into their dream faculties!
For instance, Dr. Shirag Shemmassian constructed a multi-6-figure consulting business on the side serving to pre-med college students with the medical school admissions process.
The facet hustle entails serving to college students with their:
- college alternatives
- functions
- essays
- interview prep
- and extra
May you do the identical for pre-law college students?
9. Contract Overview Service
One inventive facet hustle for attorneys is a distinct segment contract evaluation service. Examples might embrace:
- influencer advertising agreements
- buy and sale agreements
- leases
For instance, Jeff Howell created a commercial lease review service, which earned as much as $7,000 a month on the facet. Clients discovered him via his weblog, which ranked nicely on Google for particular sections and clauses of business leases.
He’d write content material explaining the ins and outs of these sections, and invite readers to e-book him for a one-time lease evaluation.
(It appears to be like like he’s since offered the positioning, however I feel you may create one thing comparable for the kind of contracts you cope with most frequently.)
10. Podcasting
One other content material creation facet hustle as a lawyer is recording and monetizing a podcast.
What might you podcast about? A authorized tackle as we speak’s present occasions may very well be compelling for listeners. True crime is a well-liked style as nicely.
Probably the most well-known examples of a lawyer-turned-podcaster is Jordan Harbinger, who covers a variety of matters on his widespread present.
To get began, your first steps are:
Like running a blog, podcasting takes some time to develop an viewers and see outcomes, however is tremendously rewarding. I can truthfully say that beginning The Side Hustle Show was life-changing.
11. Create Video Content material for YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels
It’s no secret we spend a ton of time watching video content material on-line on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and naturally, YouTube. (Based on Statista, 92% of world Web customers watch on-line video!)
What does that imply for attorneys? It means there’s a possibility to create content material that:
- explains authorized ideas
- solutions frequent authorized questions
- reacts to present information from a authorized perspective
You are able to do this by way of short-form (lower than 60 seconds) or long-form video content material. One instance is Erika Kullberg, an lawyer who started on YouTube however has expanded to different platforms as nicely. (Her channel has over 1M subscribers!)
As you begin to grow your Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube and construct an engaged follower base, you can begin to monetize with sponsorships, advertisements, or your personal services.
12. Create an On-line Course
Creating a web-based course or digital product is nice approach to receives a commission time and again from work you do as soon as. The merchandise I see having essentially the most success are those that remedy a selected downside for a selected viewers — not those that attempt to condense 3 years of regulation college into a brief video collection.
For instance, Mariam Tsaturyan has created a lot of merchandise that deal with particular authorized points confronted by bloggers and on-line enterprise homeowners. She sells:
When you develop your curriculum, you’ll be able to promote the course by way of your personal web site or add them to websites like Udemy and Skillshare.
13. Publish a Guide
Just like on-line programs, you may share your authorized experience in written format via a e-book.
For example, in the event you’re a lawyer who makes a speciality of actual property regulation, you may write a e-book that solutions commonly-asked questions for brand new landlords.
Most Facet Hustle Nation readers will go the self-publishing route via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, however you may as well pitch conventional publishers. On Amazon, you’ll be able to set your personal value and earn a 70% creator royalty on Kindle books offered between $2.99 and $9.99.
Whereas I’m not a lawyer, self-publishing is considered one of my favourite facet hustles. It’s earned me virtually $80,000 over the past decade.
14. Cellular Notary Service
You don’t want a authorized background to develop into a notary, but it surely’s not going to harm. Many Facet Hustle Nation readers have began their very own mobile notary loan signing agent businesses.
Should you’ve ever purchased a home, that is the one who walks you thru the large stack of mortgage paperwork you must signal. And for every appointment, they sometimes receives a commission $75-150, which works out to a fairly wholesome hourly price.
That is additionally a versatile facet hustle as a result of most signings happen after work hours. To study extra take a look at the video beneath and the assets at Loan Signing System.
15. Dividend Investing
During the last a number of years, I’ve been actively build up what I name my “money movement portfolio.” It is a rising assortment of principally dividend-paying shares and ETFs that has grown into a fairly substantial revenue stream.
The best way I have a look at it’s to take a portion of my month-to-month earnings to purchase belongings that can preserve paying me. I’ve a bias towards companies with lengthy histories of paying and growing their dividends.
Even when it’s not essentially the most tax environment friendly type of investing, it’s thrilling to receives a commission actually passive revenue and watch the account develop over time.
You are able to do this via any on-line brokerage, like Fidelity or M1 Finance.
16. Rental Property Investing
Beginning a real estate side hustle is a well-liked transfer for top incomes professionals like attorneys.
Rental property is a comparatively recession-proof business since everybody wants a spot to stay. (Over 35% of Individuals lease their residence.)
Roofstock is a cool web site that makes it straightforward to buy cash-flowing rental properties nationwide.
On high of the month-to-month money movement, actual property comes with nice tax benefits and tends to understand over time.
17. Industrial Actual Property
If coping with tenants, bathrooms, and termites doesn’t sound like an incredible facet hustle, you would possibly take into account business actual property as an alternative.
Websites like Fundrise means that you can spend money on a portfolio of business properties throughout the nation. I’ve been a Fundrise investor for years and so they’ve persistently paid quarterly dividends.
Plus, you’ll be able to get started with as little as $10.
18. Purchase a Worthwhile Enterprise
Getting a brand new facet hustle off the bottom is the toughest half. However what in the event you might skip that step, and buy a business that’s already profitable?
Because you’re in all probability dedicating most of your time to your regulation profession, search for companies which are comparatively hands-off, or ones that may very well be managed by another person.
For instance, Jono Santamaria purchased a laundromat, the place he spends 5-10 hours every week on location and bettering operations.
19. Authorized Transcription
As a authorized transcriptionist, your job can be listening to recordings and changing them into textual content. Due to the authorized jargon and complicated phrases, authorized transcription tends to pay greater than general transcription.
Nonetheless, incomes $15-25 per hour is perhaps lifelike, so there could also be extra profitable facet hustles on this checklist.
20. Proofreading
As a lawyer, you’ve virtually definitely developed a eager consideration to element. Your means to peruse paperwork and guarantee they’re error-free may very well be a beneficial service to others.
Maybe you area of interest down and proofread court docket transcriptions or different authorized paperwork.
Glassdoor says the common proofreader rakes in about $20-30/hour, making it a strong facet hustle for attorneys.
21. Digital Assistant
A digital assistant handles administrative duties and different obligations remotely for a person or enterprise. A lawyer can become a legal virtual assistant, which suggests you’re employed with high-profile attorneys to deal with their calls, arrange their conferences, and simply help them.
This might be an incredible facet hustle, notably for regulation college students or younger attorneys as a result of it might allow you to acquire expertise and mentorship. The typical digital assistant earns $25-35/hour, in keeping with Zip Recruiter.
The Finest Facet Hustles for Legal professionals: Ultimate Ideas
One of the best facet hustle for attorneys is — like virtually all the pieces — completely subjective. The most suitable choice for you is dependent upon your particular pursuits, expertise, and targets.
Nonetheless, I hope you discovered some inspiration on this checklist and checked just a few of the choices to discover additional.
