Career Options with an MLS

17 March, 2025

Professionals in a wide variety of industries—especially those who regularly navigate legal and compliance issues—may find themselves in need of a foundational education in law, regulation, and compliance. For those individuals, a Master of Legal Studies, or MLS, degree serves as a means of obtaining this knowledge. 

A Master of Legal Studies is a highly versatile degree, so many professionals may find themselves wondering what careers they can pursue after graduating. To provide you with a better understanding, we’ll dive into what exactly a master’s in legal studies is, review some of the potential career paths that are relevant to legal studies graduates, and discuss the benefits of Emory University School of Law’s flexible Master of Legal Studies Program. 

What Is a Master of Legal Studies?

A Master of Legal Studies is a graduate degree that enables professionals in a wide range of industries to attain legal knowledge but does not prepare students to become attorneys. As such, MLS students will learn to understand and analyze legal issues, collaborate with legal experts, and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to various professional contexts.

Many legal studies programs also offer concentrations in specific domains, allowing students to gain knowledge relevant to fields they might be interested in pursuing or may already work in. Emory Law’s MLS curriculum offers concentrations in Health Care Law, Policy, and Regulation; Business Law and Regulation; Employment Law and Human Resources; and Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Technology Law. 

Potential Career Paths with an MLS 

Professionals with a Master of Legal Studies can work in a variety of industries in roles that require an applied knowledge of the law. 

Many career paths will require experience and education beyond an MLS. Accountants, for example, will need to seek education in accounting and may need certain licenses or certifications. A master’s in legal studies, however, can be a helpful complement to other education for many professionals. 

Source: Lightcast

*Completing a degree does not guarantee a position or salary. These can vary depending on factors such as years of experience, position, and geographic location.

HR Manager

Median annual salary: $90,500 (per Lightcast)

Human resources managers are leaders within the HR space, and their specific roles can vary widely between organizations. HR professionals can handle recruiting and hiring, onboarding, benefits navigation, internal conflict resolution, and employee termination. HR managers lead HR teams, combining leadership competency with HR expertise. An MLS can provide HR professionals with expertise in areas such as employment law or industry-specific regulation. 

Contract Negotiation Manager

Median annual salary: $144,100 (per Lightcast)

Contracts are a critical part of business, especially for organizations that provide specific services and products. As such, managing the negotiation of contracts is a key responsibility in many organizations. A contract negotiation manager with an MLS can leverage knowledge of legal domains to better understand how contracts can be legally enforced or drafted, as well as what to consider when negotiating contracts. 

Operations Director

Median annual salary: $110,000 (per Lightcast)

Operations directors are executive leaders who are responsible for overseeing operations at an organization. Typically, they focus on how day-to-day operations are impacting long-term strategy goals. Operations directors must work hard to ensure the organization is accomplishing sustainable and realistic goals that are aligned with the organization’s mission. Master’s in legal studies graduates can leverage their degrees by applying their knowledge of applicable laws and regulations to their duties. This might include industry-specific knowledge—for example, in the health care industry, professionals might leverage their knowledge of health care laws to ensure both regulatory compliance and adherence to industry standards. 

Paralegal

Median annual salary: $57,500 (per Lightcast)

Paralegals are legal professionals who work with lawyers to ensure that critical tasks are completed. Paralegals are often tasked with drafting documents, filing, submitting legal documents to courts, case management, research, and more. While a graduate degree is not typically a requirement for paralegal roles, an MLS deepens students’ understanding of the law. 

Accountant

Median annual salary: $72,600 (per Lightcast)

Accountants might work with individuals in private accounts, or they could work with organizations by managing and tracking accounts related to suppliers, customers, clients, vendors, or contractors. Since accounting is subject to strict regulations, financial laws, and ethical guidelines, a Master of Legal Studies can be a strong addition to an accountant’s toolkit.

Business Analyst

Median annual salary: $95,100 (per Lightcast)

Data analysts who specialize in business can serve in a range of capacities. They may be tasked with maintaining databases, creating or automating reports, communicating between teams and stakeholders, identifying risks and opportunities, and communicating actionable insights from vast data sets. An MLS, in conjunction with experience in data analysis, can be a helpful background for professionals who need to leverage their knowledge of applicable laws or regulations to inform their approaches to analysis. 

Compliance Officer

Median annual salary: $83,800 (per Lightcast)

Compliance officers are responsible for ensuring that an organization remains compliant with relevant regulations and laws. These professionals can work in a range of industries like manufacturing, energy, health care, tech, and finance. Compliance officers are often tasked with developing compliance frameworks and training teams to ensure that regulations are adhered to across the organization at all times. A master’s in legal studies will help inform compliance officers’ approaches by providing industry-specific knowledge and general compliance education. 

Advancing Your Career with an MLS Degree

Earning a Master of Legal Studies can help you qualify for higher-level and higher-paying career opportunities that interact with the law. While a bachelor’s degree used to be enough to hold senior-level positions, many organizations are now requiring or preferring a master’s degree for advanced roles. According to a survey by CareerBuilder, 33 percent of employers are increasingly hiring workers with master’s degrees for positions that had previously been held by those with four-year degrees.

MLS degrees can also help you advance your career because of their relevance to a wide variety of roles. Unlike JDs or MDs, MLS degrees are not meant to train students for one specific job. Instead, these programs combine foundational legal education and industry-specific legal knowledge, a versatile combination that is beneficial for career advancement. Professionals who understand the laws and regulations that are relevant to their organizations will find themselves well-positioned to make decisions rooted in a deep understanding of the law. 

Elevate Your Legal Knowledge with Emory University School of Law’s MLS

The part-time Master of Legal Studies Program from Emory Law combines the flexibility of online learning with immersive assignments to ensure students have the skills and experience to think critically in a variety of legal situations. Designed by leading legal researchers and practitioners, our curriculum imparts practical and relevant legal knowledge that is applicable to various industries. Students can customize the curriculum by choosing one of four concentrations or building their own study plan with a variety of electives. 

Emory Law is a preeminent graduate school of inquisitive learners, where faculty, staff, and students of any background can thrive and feel a sense of belonging. We prepare students for fulfilling legal careers, enrich communities, and affect positive societal transformation by studying and advancing law.

Download a brochure to learn more or start your application today. 

Emory University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, doctorate, and professional degrees. Emory University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Emory University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling 404.679.4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).