Free webinar highlights non-traditional career paths for those with law degrees

“It’s important for law students to know that there are opportunities in agricultural and food law beyond traditional legal careers.” — Kirstin Nelson

By Tru Joi Curtis
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture

March 13, 2024

Fast facts:

NALC & AALA upcoming “Growing Careers” webinar is March 27
USDA National Agricultural Library’s Kirstin Nelson is presenting
Registration is online

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Download related photo of Nelson

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The courtroom isn’t the only place law graduates can practice. The National Agricultural Law Center and American Agricultural Law Association are hosting a webinar highlighting possibilities for students interested in ag and food law.

The National Ag Law Center and American Ag Law Association will host a "Growing Careers" webinar for law students on March 27. Kirstin Nelson of the USDA National Agricultural Library is presenting. (Photo by Shané K. Gooding)

According to the American Bar Association, more than 36,000 students graduated with a law degree in 2022. Of those, 52 percent went to law firms, while nearly 40 percent of graduates found employment in areas such as business and industry, government, public interest, clerkships and education.

The NALC and AALA’s “Growing Careers” webinar is crafted especially for law students, as well as the faculty who advise them about their next steps beyond law school. Kirstin Nelson, law librarian for the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library, will present the webinar, titled “Growing Careers in Agricultural and Food Law for Law Students: Non-Traditional Legal Paths and Opportunities” on Wednesday, March 27, at 11 a.m. Central/noon Eastern.

“It’s important for law students to know that there are opportunities in agricultural and food law beyond traditional legal careers,” Nelson said. “During the webinar, I will share insights from my career path and my current position as a law librarian with USDA. The opportunities for these students are numerous, they just need to know that they are out there.”

The webinar is free of charge and registration is online.

The “Growing Careers” series is a component of the NALC’s Bridges Initiative, a student-focused, public-private partnership offering professional development, networking, and increased legal knowledge to pre-college, undergraduate, and law students interested in agricultural and food law issues and careers.

Nelson also works closely with the NALC by coordinating the Agricultural Law Information Partnership between the National Agricultural Library, the NALC and the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law and Graduate School.

“We are proud to continue the ‘Growing Careers’ series alongside AALA,” NALC Director Harrison Pittman said. “It’s important for students who are considering future career paths to understand the different legal career options they have. Kirstin is a great friend of the NALC, and her unique insight and experiences will be extremely beneficial to students and those who advise them.”

For information about the American Agricultural Law Association, visit aglaw-assn.org. The AALA also is on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on X. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.

For updates on agricultural law and policy developments, subscribe free of charge to The Feed, the NALC’s twice-monthly newsletter highlighting recent legal developments facing agriculture.

About the National Agricultural Law Center

The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.

The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.

About the Division of Agriculture

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact dviguet@uark.edu as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

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Media contact:

Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu