Perhaps Fidel Castro Isn't a Good Example of an Alternative Career: Arizona Law's Handbook Disappears from the Web

On Sept. 23, 2011, ATL's Staci Zaretsky reported:

A tipster from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law informed us that the school’s career services office put out a new publication this summer for students interested in alternative careers.

The people at the career services office there know that Cuba has more to offer than just cigars and espresso, so the Handbook, available here, suggests an interesting career path that one might pursue [quoting from Arizona Law's Alternative Careers Handbook]:

An alternative career can be the correct choice for many law students and graduates. The choice to enroll in law school does not mean that you have to be a lawyer. Whether you put your legal training to active use or not, there are numerous opportunities for people with law degrees. By examining the possibility of following a different career path than most, you may find yourself in a job that better suits your skills and interests.You have a variety of career options; explore them!

The following individuals have law degrees but followed different paths. There is hope for alternative career seekers after all …

Fidel Castro — Dictator

See Zaretsky's post, Career Alternatives for Attorneys: Dictator?

The story was picked up the same day by ABAJ's Martha Neil at Can’t Find a Legal Job? Be the Next John Grisham or Fidel Castro, Law School Guide Suggests and by US News on Sept. 30, 2011. See Menachem Wecker's In Tough Job Market, Law Grads Use J.D.s for Nonlegal Work. Both ABAJ and US News linked to Arizona Law's Alternative Careers Handbook. Perhaps neither of the authors actually clicked on the link ATL provided but we know that it was a live link on Sept. 23 because Zaretsky quoted from it. Do note that Wecker's story, published on Sept. 30th, carries a quote from Zaretsky about her post:

“I was being a little snarky in my piece considering the fact that, according to NALP [the Association for Legal Career Professionals], only 68.4 percent of 2010 grads were able to land jobs requiring bar passage,” Zaretsky says. “I can only assume that law school career services offices are feeling the effects of the employment rates.”

What the hell were Arizona Law's career services staff thinking? Still a live link to the Handbook? Nope. Because of the mocking publicity? That's my hunch. Revised edition of Arizona Law's Alernative Careers Handbook returning to the web? Wait 'n see. [JH]