Even though as a lawyer you are probably very busy covering the needs of your clients, you may be a person who enjoys doing other work to supplement your income.
Of course, the cash from a side income is very welcome because life in most big cities is expensive, but these can also help you later if you want to transition to an independent career.
According to a study by the McKinsey Global Institute, one in three Americans works in the gig economy to earn an income or to make some extra money. Professionals are not excluded, and many are finding opportunities to supplement their income stream by leveraging their expertise or finding other exciting paths to follow.
These are some of the most interesting side hustles for lawyers who want a side income.
Online legal marketplaces
One of the most popular online legal marketplaces is Upcounsel. Here you can help people who need legal services by applying to the posted jobs or replying to specific requests. Your payment is guaranteed by them, and they also handle the billing for you.
Your fees are negotiated directly with your online clients, and the online legal marketplace keeps 5% of your income as a fee. You can charge your clients per project or hourly, depending on the job. Legal work on Upcounsel includes agreements, immigration, business formation, patents, trademarks, employment, labor, and general counsel.
Offer learning opportunities
Your legal expertise can help new lawyers. You can either offer coaching services, create a niche legal course, or start a podcast.
All you need to do is pick an area that you can teach others about. This could include trial techniques, how to be confident in the courtroom, or better ways for legal practices to manage their offices.
Coaching services will need more of your attention, but they can be very fulfilling. A niche legal course will need less of your time, and once you have created it can be offered on a platform like Udemy or OpenSesame for better exposure.
Podcasts can cover a wide range of topics and if successful they can bring in a good income from endorsements and advertisements. You just need opensource editing software, a mic, and a laptop to start a podcast. Before the serious money starts coming in, it will take some time for you to build an audience eager to hear what you have to say.
Write and publish a legal book
If you are up to writing a book targeted at legal professionals, you will initially need to put in quite a bit of effort. However, once it is written and published, you can sit back and enjoy the income from its sales.
Most authors now publish e-books to sell on online platforms like Amazon Kindle because it is easier than taking the traditional publishing route. You can also create an audiobook out of your e-book to maximize your profits.
Develop an app that will help legal professionals
If you have an idea about how to help your fellow legal professionals by developing an app that will make their lives easier, then get it started. Mobile apps are very profitable if they are marketed correctly. Unless you have excellent programming skills, you may need to hire a developer. You can find an affordable developer through Upwork or Elance.
Consider teaching
You can teach law students who are preparing for the bar exam or you can take a position as a lecturer to boost your income, especially if you have always dreamed of having a career in education.
Test prep courses are vital for many law students who are extremely stressed as they prepare for a demanding professional career as litigators. You can make cash by offering to coach law students online on sites like Barbri.
Then again, if you prefer to teach at a law school, you will have to give a few classes a week, but can make good money as you inspire young law students with your passion for law.
Engage with audiences
Besides podcasts, where you can speak to your audience about the law and your experiences, you may even consider becoming a public speaker or freelance writer.
Audiences at private functions are always eager to learn from a professional, and you can demand good money to give them legal information and advice.
Then again, if you are not a good orator or are better with the written word, you can produce legal blogs or write freelance articles for legal websites and magazines.
Whatever you decide to do for an interesting side income, you have the professional knowledge to make your idea work for you. Whether you are interested in digital technology or the more traditional ways of creating a side hustle, you can make it a profitable choice.
