New York Lawyer
September 4, 2001

Q:
I am interested in becoming a law librarian. Is this a horrible career choice for a JD with heavy loans to pay back?

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A:
No. Provided you really are temperamentally suited for that kind of work, in many ways it is a sound choice: the market for those who perform any form of information management and retrieval (see more below) is both stable and growing. It is an essential function, and not subject to the vagaries and vogues that impact various legal practice disciplines at various times. True, it may take you longer to pay off those hefty loans, because in law firms, as elsewhere in the private sector, the people who make money for the business are generally paid more than those who perform necessary roles that cost the business money.

Put simply, the financial upside for most �staff� roles -- including Human Resources, Information Technology, Finance/Accounting, and Comp/Benefits -- is significantly lower than for the rainmakers. Usually the compensation structure is straight salary with some sort of discretionary bonus if you perform well, not the profit participation that can boost the earnings of the big dogs. But firms are increasingly recognize the value of these crucial support functions. I�m aware of experienced legal information management specialists whose base salary is well into the six figures.

The JD, if not mandatory, is a real plus for law librarians, because you understand more about the content of the information you�re managing, over and above the mechanics of managing it. Unless you�re thinking small firm (which also means smaller salary), you will need some specialized training and credentialing to be a hot candidate for sophisticated law library operations � whether in a firm or in-house. These credentials might include a master�s degree in library science or specialized training through the Association of Law Firm Administrators. To get the best idea of entry-level credentials, I�d do some friendly networking with people presently employed in law libraries.

Moreover, any and all forms of information technology/management are very hot employment sectors these days. IT can embrace the law library role, but also include management of �expert systems� (such as interactive form files, an area experiencing astounding increases in sophistication � which means lawyers are ignorant and you have more clout), and management of files, discovery and other forms of litigation support. I also have been encouraging large firms to create specialized internal legal research functions using lawyers with gifts for research and writing but little inclination for aggressive marketing, client development or marking their lives in 6-minute billable increments.

The role you describe probably exchanges considerable revenue potential for the comforts of stability and lower risk. If I were the lender holding your sizable promissory note, I would not be upset to see you move successfully into legal information management.

Sincerely,
Douglas B. Richardson
President, The Richardson Group