A Primer on the Milwaukee Legal Job Landscape
Milwaukee holds a dynamic legal landscape, with a diverse range of legal sectors and opportunities. Recent data indicates that Milwaukee’s legal job market is currently stable, with demand for legal professionals showing steady growth. With over 150 law firms in the physical Milwaukee area and even more in surrounding suburbs, the city presents numerous employment options for those looking to continue their legal careers. The largest law firms in Milwaukee include Quarles & Brady LLP, Foley & Lardner LLP, and Godfrey & Kahn SC, among others.
In recent years, smaller firms and solo practitioners have been emerging as strong competitors to achieve the best legal job opportunities in Milwaukee. This transformation in the legal landscape has been attributed to their adaptability to changing and affordable office space rates. Since law firm vacancies are primarily concentrated in AMA cities (those with over 1 million residents), the limited number of law firm vacancies coupled with the abundance of law school graduates are leading to a more competitive job market .
The specialization of the city’s workforce encompasses various legal fields, including corporate law, litigation, intellectual property, and in-house legal positions. Additionally, the high demand for attorneys by corporate legal departments has contributed substantially to their growth in recent years. Employment opportunities are expected to increase in the years to come, with corporations seeking outside assistance from outside counsel for lengthy, time-consuming cases.
Metropolitan Milwaukee has witnessed consistent growth within the healthcare sector, which has in turn created a greater need for healthcare attorneys, compliance specialists, and other related legal professionals. The health and non-profit sector employment also continues to rise, with clinics, hospitals, and other medical related businesses requiring an increased number of legal professionals.
Legal Employers of Note in Milwaukee
Milwaukee presents a vibrant market for legal job seekers. As a major hub in the Midwest, the Milwaukee legal market has a wealth of opportunities for attorneys, paralegals and in-house lawyers. In the Milwaukee area, large law firms include Miller Canfield, Reinhart Boerner Seelig and Quarles & Brady. The local district court, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, is the most prominent federal employer in the region. Local and state courts also employ attorneys in the area. Legal departments at corporations such as GE Healthcare and Wells Fargo have in-house attorneys. Organizations such as the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the City of Milwaukee employ government attorneys. There are plenty of opportunities for legal professionals specializing in litigation. Contest contests play out in state and federal courts, while numerous business and securities disputes arise each year. International businesses with a location in Milwaukee may hire corporate and contract attorneys to represent them.
Common Legal Positions and Suggested Salaries
The most in demand legal positions in Milwaukee include attorneys, paralegals, and legal support professionals who provide services to law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies. Attorney salaries also vary based on a number of factors including level of education and years of experience.
According to PayScale, the most popular attorney positions by specialty are in contract law, family law, environmental law, intellectual property or patent law, and employment or labor law. The average salaries and ranges for these positions average:
The most sought after paralegal and legal support professionals in Milwaukee by specialty are corporate Paralegal, Immigration Paralegal, Litigation Paralegal, Personal Injury Paralegal, Real Estate Paralegal, Litigation Tech Paralegal, Bankruptcy Paralegal, notary Public, Corporate legal assistant, Elder law legal assistant, Family law legal assistant, Litigation legal assistant, Real estate legal assistant, and Civil litigation legal assistant. These positions fall within the salary range of $30,000 per year to upwards of $91,000 per year or more. The average annual salary for paralegals in Milwaukee is $51,000. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage or salary for all lawyers in Milwaukee, WI was $124,950 as of May 2021, with the lowest 10 percent earning around $62,710 and the highest earning more than $252,530 annually.
Legal Job Requirements and Preferred Qualifications
When it comes to exploring legal job opportunities in a city like Milwaukee, it’s important to understand the requirements and qualifications associated with these positions. While each legal job may have its unique sets of requirements, most legal professionals in Milwaukee will need to have a strong educational background and professional qualifications.
For an entry-level position, a candidate may only need to have completed a bachelor’s degree, such as in criminal justice, legal studies, or a related discipline. Many law firms offer internships to college graduates who are eager to get on-the-job experience in the legal field. For those pursuing paralegal jobs in Milwaukee, completion of an associate’s degree in paralegal or criminal justice may be all they need to get their foot in the door. Paralegals also benefit from having professional certifications issued through national associations for added credibility.
For most legal jobs, a Juris Doctorate is required. This requires three years of study at an accredited law school in the United States. To pass the bar exam and become a licensed attorney, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the law as it applies to the state of Wisconsin. Being able to demonstrate this knowledge and proficiency during a bar exam can help you land a job in one of the many law firms seeking top legal talent in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Legal Networking Organizations and Associations
Establishing a robust network is a pivotal factor in a successful legal job search, particularly within a relatively close-knit legal community like that of Milwaukee. Networking opens doors to unadvertised opportunities and enhances your understanding of the local job market. Those in the know can often provide tips about firms hiring in the area, insight into the culture of particular employers and even introduce you to potential employers.
As you build your network both online and offline , consider joining professional organizations that can provide you with additional networking opportunities, offer insight into the Milwaukee legal job market and augments your legal research efforts. In addition to the American Bar Association, here are a few Milwaukee-area legal organizations to consider:
The above is just a sampling of Milwaukee-area professional organizations. A quick search of the web may unearth even more possibilities.
Networking should be an essential component of every legal job search. Hopefully the above suggestions will provide you with some solid starting points.
How to Get a Legal Job in Milwaukee
To increase your chances of finding a legal job in Milwaukee, consider the following:
Apply Your Skills to One (or More) Practice Areas
Many Wisconsin firms, in Milwaukee and surrounding areas, have openings in various practice areas. For instance, you may want to work with estate planning and corporate law or bankruptcy law and family law. As a result, you can use your unique skills to secure the job you want. Be sure, however, that your unique skills don’t make you a jack of all trades and master of none.
Write an Impressive Cover Letter and Resume
Your cover letter and resume obviously need to be tailored to address your interests and skills. You should also make it clear that you have researched the practice area (or areas) and the firm where you are seeking employment. For instance, you might mention the firm’s reputation and what you hope to glean from the experience. If the position involves working with clients, be sure to highlight your communication skills as well as any previous client-based work you have done.
Anticipate Interview Questions and Prepare Accordingly
You can get an idea about what you may be asked during the interview by reading the career section of the firm’s website and reviewing information about the position. Practice your answers in front of a mirror. Take turns pretending to be the interviewer and interviewee.
Research the Firm Thoroughly
You will undoubtedly review the position you are applying for, but you should attempt to also learn about the firm as a whole. For example, how did the firm originate, and how has it grown over the years? Has it made any significant impacts on lawsuits in Milwaukee or elsewhere? In addition, the firm may have received awards for its services.
Future Prospects for the Milwaukee Legal Job Market
Determining the future of jobs in any profession takes into account an analysis of various factors including industry health (is a sector booming or busting?), population trends (is a region growing or shrinking?) and spillover effects (increased demand for new types of services drives employment growth).
Milwaukee has been slowly breaking from the cocoon of recession. The past several years showed incremental hiring growth in the legal market. Legal hiring has always lagged behind business and industry for one primary reason – firms and corporate departments are conservative in their hiring choices. They look at the long-term prospects rather than focus on the immediate need . This year’s legal hiring looks to be on pace with previous years, but as the economic conditions surrounding Milwaukee improve, more law firms will cautiously hire more attorneys.
Good news is on the horizon for the legal profession. One important note, however: demand for lawyers will increase, but demand for other professionals will increase even faster. During the previous 10 years, the number of economics graduates and lawyers grew by 46 and 17 percent, respectively. If that growth rate holds, there will be an oversupply of lawyers in 2016 and 75,000 fewer economics graduates will be needed. While it’s difficult to pinpoint what the fate will be of other professions (such as paralegals and legal support staff) due to this concentration of graduates and hiring constraints, expect more lay-offs.