9 Side Hustles For Lawyers That Just Make Sense

Are you a lawyer, but contrary to what society believes, you’re not exactly partying on a private yacht? Well, this is more common than you think.

Many lawyers have ventured into the world of side hustles to earn passive income on the side using their law degree and a little creativity.

If you want that, too, we have gathered the best 9 side hustles for lawyers for extra income, to make that expensive student debt from law school worth it! 

1. Legal Work

What better way to make money as a lawyer than using your legal expertise to take more clients on the side? Not only will you gain valuable experience, but you’ll also have some extra income in your pocket. 

Normally, if you work in one of the top law firms in the country, you’ll be able to take as many billable hours as you want. However, if you’re fresh out of law school, you’ll probably need some extra money besides that. 

You can go on UpCounsel to find some online gigs where you can use your law degree or hit up companies or individuals for in-person work. 

There is no clear bracket we can give you in terms of money. However, the average lawyer earns around $104,000 per year, concluding that you can easily earn a third by working on the side.

2. Consulting

If you’re a lawyer with vast expertise in a niche area of legal services, you can start offering legal counsel to businesses. You can even work as a Fractional Chief Legal Officer for small companies not ready yet for a CLO. 

For example, a lawyer who’s worked for the SEC will definitely be at hand at any hedge fund or big bank out there. 

If you’re looking for a consulting job online, use Clarify. However, the most money you’ll make with your legal skills is at a big company like JP Morgan or Amazon. So, sending your CV to these guys would be better. 

In terms of money, the average legal consultant can make up to $75,000 a year. But remember that legal professionals with years of experience charge a lot more than that!

3. Sell Legal Forms

Are you the best at drafting legal documents at your law firm? Start selling legal forms and templates, then! This is an easy way to earn some extra money on the side, as many law students and beginner attorneys buy those legal forms on a monthly basis. 

Draft up privacy policies, terms of use, contracts of various types, and other simple legal documents and start selling them online. 

You can start your site using Shopify or Podia and sell them independently. If you don’t have time for that, use a marketplace like Etsy to move your products. 

On average, selling templates and legal forms can make you around $1,000 per month, as the price tag for a single document can reach +$100. 

4. Legal Freelance Writing

Freelance writing is a top-notch side hustle that can increase your revenue greatly. However, having a legal background can double your opportunities and your income. 

Opting for writing on legal topics can offer unparalleled flexibility. It’s not just about the hours you’ll work but also about clients, the type of projects, or even the language you’re working in. 

The legal content writing niche also brings unparalleled financial opportunities, as the supply of competent legal writers is extremely low while the demand is high.

In terms of money, you can earn up to $63,000 per year. However, you might earn a lot more depending on your experience and ability to write comprehensive articles. 

Go to ProBlogger or Contena to find your perfect writing gig.

5. Start a Niche Blog

Legal blogging is one of the most profitable niches in the world. Not only can you advertise your legal firm if you have one, but you can also make money on Google advertising if you reach the top of the food chain. 

To start a niche blog, you only need to buy a domain and start writing. However, if you truly want this side hustle to bring hard cash, you need to invest more money. 

Hire an SEO specialist, get yourself an experienced part-time editor to go through your work, and start tackling the best legal keywords on Google. 

Once you get some traffic, you can start earning money. An average website with ~1M page visits per month can make up to $25,000 per month. 

6. Create an Online Course

As a legal professional, you’ve already been through all the struggles and problems every young lawyer or attorney must endure. 

You have the experience, knowledge, and authority to teach young law graduates the way of legal practice in the real world.

Starting an online course on Coursera or Udemy gives you a passive income stream and makes you more popular, attracting clients to your main branch of work, legal work. 

You can cover only the most basic stuff like legal terminology, court proceedings, and some tips and tricks to survive your first trial. This will be enough to bring some additional income to the table. 

If you have a popular course on Udemy or Coursera, you can earn up to $10,000 per month with only views and subscriptions. 

7. Bar Exam Tutoring

Graduating from law school and knowing all the legal aspects of the job doesn’t make you a lawyer. You still have to pass the Bar Exam, which can be harder than one might think. 

Most people who don’t pass it do so not because they don’t have the necessary legal knowledge but because they can’t present this knowledge on a case-by-case basis. 

Teaching test preparation courses can be an awesome stream of income for you. With your help, a person that already passed the exam, students will be able to pass it and enter the legal system.

The only thing you need to do here is make a strategy that will help them during the exam. This way, they’ll spread the word, and you’ll get more and more clients with each passing person. 

8. Virtual Assistant

Do you have experience with computers and management software? If so, a job as a virtual assistant will be perfect for you, especially if you’re at the beginning of your legal consulting career. 

You’ll be responsible for helping individuals and businesses manage their schedules, as well as setting appointments and doing manual work like editing messages. 

Depending on your company’s industry, you’ll probably acquire specific skills that might help you in the future. 

For example, working at a finance company, you’ll learn more about the markets and how they work. 

Virtual assistants can expect to earn $47,000 per year on average. Zirtual is your go-to place if you want a virtual assistant job.  

9. Invest in Stocks 

Let’s be honest, most lawyers don’t need a side hustle to make ends meet. Opening a legal blog or starting a side hustle in the legal transcription business might actually decrease your revenue if you are billing ~$250 per hour as an attorney. 

However, there is a side hustle you can take on without hurting your legal career. Investing in stocks, bonds, or options is the best way to put your money at work while literally doing nothing else. 

For example, if you invest $100,000 in Coca-Cola stock, you get 5% annually, which is $5,000. However, the most money you’ll make is when selling the stock.

Taking the same company, if you would’ve bought 1,000 shares of Coca-Cola on January 9th, 2023, you would’ve got a return of 39%. That’s more than $150,000 in profit! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Side Hustles to Consider

• Weekend Side Hustles: Usually, you have the weekend free. That’s why you can take on some more work to extend your budget! Here are the best weekend side hustles. 
• Remote Executive Assistant Jobs: If you are a lawyer, you probably have great time management skills. Why not use it on others as well? Find the best remote executive assistant jobs right now.
• Passive Side Hustles: Do you get stressed working as a lawyer and don’t have time for other work? A passive side hustle will be the best option for you! Get money while doing basically nothing. Here are the best passive side hustles you can find. 

Wrapping Up

Not having enough money as a lawyer is often an issue in the legal industry, especially for new grads. 

If you’re in this situation, there’s nothing to worry about! You can still make extra money on the side while having a full-time job as an attorney. Just try out one of the side hustles described above to double or even triple your monthly earnings. 

Don’t forget to share the article with your friends, and don’t hesitate to leave a comment about the side hustle you use as a lawyer!