Legal Careers Guide to Government Work

Government agencies operate within complex regulatory constraints. A legal studies degree, such as a Master of Legal Studies (MLS), may help equip graduates with the tools to operate within these organizations and help prepare them to work in the government sector as public servants. Students learn how laws are formulated and modified over time as well as the theories and concepts that form the basis for the law.

We’ve compiled a list of government work opportunities that involve knowledge of law and regulations that do not require a professional law degree:

• Law Enforcement and Protective Services
• Court Administration
• Federal Regulatory Agencies
• Criminal Justice
• Additional Career Options in Government
• Research Resources for Government Jobs

Law Enforcement and Protective Services

Police, probation officers, correctional officers, and agency investigators are all considered part of law enforcement. Whether you hope to work as a law enforcement officer or an FBI special agent, a legal studies degree may prepare you for a career at the intersection of criminal justice and social services of government. These are occupations in which knowledge of the law and skills in conflict resolution and negotiation are useful.

There are multiple laws and regulations that serve to protect vulnerable populations and secure critical information. A strong legal foundation and interpersonal communication skills are helpful for success.

Some agencies of law enforcement may include:

• Central Intelligence Agency
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• National Security Agency

Court Administration

Court administrators manage the court’s calendar of hearings, respond to official correspondence and, in general, serve as a liaison between the court and parties in a trial. A legal studies degree may help court administrators understand the function of the judicial system, such as the process of complaint resolution, and the powers of the court, such as how a court oversees disputes and what a court can order to resolve them.

Responsibilities for court administrators vary depending on where they work. Some may work at district courts, appellate courts, courts of appeal, and local and municipal courts, while others may work at specialized court offices such as the federal Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Federal Regulatory Agencies

Federal regulatory agencies cover a variety of areas, from the environment to communication and from the media to financial transactions. These agencies enact and enforce laws that govern activities and transactions within their area of oversight.

Students who are interested in government work at federal regulatory agencies may look for opportunities at the organizations below:

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
• U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

An example of a career with a federal regulatory agency would be an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance safety and health officer. Compliance safety and health officers need to understand OSHA standards and how they apply in real workplace settings. They may inspect worksites, investigate possible violations, review records, speak with employers and employees, and explain what employers need to do to address hazards and comply with federal workplace safety requirements.

Criminal Justice

From corrections directors to police detectives, a legal studies degree may support success in a criminal justice career. Law enforcement intersects with the law on a daily basis as police departments prepare and transfer cases to the district attorney to prosecute. Special investigations officers are members of the U.S. military branches and are responsible for investigating crimes and complaints involving military property or personnel. FBI special agents analyze criminal intelligence and create offender profiles and analyses to aid in solving open cases. A master of legal studies may help equip these investigative agents and criminal justice professionals with knowledge of criminal code and its application, as well as the methods and procedures required to prepare cases for prosecution.

Additional Career Options in Government

Apart from the career options introduced above, there are also other jobs available in government sectors:

• Legal studies graduates may consider working in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to become a patent agent who works with inventors, researchers and attorneys to evaluate an invention disclosure and assess patentability.
• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Handbook for paralegals and legal assistants, 13% of paralegals in the United States worked in federal, state and local governments in 2024. Among them, paralegals and legal assistants in the federal government had the highest median annual wage among the top industries reported by BLS, at $77,940 in May 2024. Government paralegals and legal assistants may work for federal, state, or local agencies, where they help attorneys and legal teams conduct legal research, organize records, draft documents, prepare filings, and support hearings, investigations or other government legal work.

If this career sounds interesting to you, learn how to become a paralegal.

• If you want to expand your career options in government, you might want to consider a law degree, such as a juris doctor (J.D.) degree. For the class of 2024, 12.9% of employed law graduates worked in government, excluding judicial clerkships. According to BLS, lawyers working in the federal government had a median annual wage of $174,680 in May 2024, compared with $125,180 for lawyers in local government and $111,280 for lawyers in state government.

Are you ready for a new legal career? See our guide on how to become a lawyer and the common requirements to practice law.

Research Resources for Government Jobs

Government employment opportunities are posted through several different systems. Most competitive-service federal vacancies are listed on USAJOBS, while federal agencies may also promote openings, internships and hiring events through their own career pages. State and local governments commonly maintain separate employment portals, so job seekers may need to search by agency, jurisdiction and job function.

Legal studies students and graduates can use the following resources to research government employers, understand public-sector hiring and identify available positions:

• usa.gov: An online guide to government information and services. On its Find a Federal Government Job page, you can find multiple helpful resources on how the government hires people.
• usajobs.gov: Search and apply for federal jobs, and learn about federal hiring events and training opportunities.
• gogovernment.org: Working with Partnership for Public Service, this resource helps students and interns apply to federal jobs and understand the federal hiring process so they can launch their career in government.
• bestplacestowork.org: A comprehensive and authoritative rating of employee engagement in the federal government.
• psjd.org: A unique online clearinghouse for law students and lawyers to connect with public interest job listings and career-building resources. You can find helpful resources such as Eligibility for Entry-Level Employment with the Federal Government, State & Local Government Career Resources – State-by-State List, Federal Legal Employment Guide and more.

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s in legal studies and what you can do with a law degree.

Information last updated June 2026, using May 2025 BLS OEWS data. Job growth projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.