Below I provide examples of some alternative practices and show the nuanced differences and similarities between them:
FREELANCE LAWYER Freelance lawyers are lawyers hired by other lawyers, law firms or in-house legal departments to assist on a project or on an as-needed basis. They work as independent contractors in a flexible, non-permanent, and task specific role. Freelance lawyers work under the supervision of a hiring lawyer, are paid by the hiring lawyer, and are not retained directly by the end-client. The scope of work for a freelance lawyer can include tasks ranging from drafting legal documents and conducting trials to reviewing contracts and facilitating transactions. Basically, a freelance lawyer can do anything a traditional lawyer can do. Freelance lawyers tend to have more flexibility and control over their legal work than traditional lawyers. They can work when and where they want, no longer tethered to an office or strict working hours. They can decide which law firm or lawyers they will work with, how many different lawyer clients to take on, and have the freedom to say no to work that does not suit them. It's important to note, however, that just because a lawyer freelances, it does not mean that they are cheap! Some people hear the term freelance lawyer and think, cheap lawyer. Nothing could be further from the truth. Often freelance lawyers are lawyers who previously practised in a traditional law firm setting (many in “Big Law” at large national or international law firms). These lawyers are skilled, versatile, highly experienced, do excellent work and are responsible for their own income taxes, overhead costs, vacation time, etc. Quality work does not come cheap. CONTRACT LAWYER While some use the terms contract lawyer and freelance lawyer interchangeably, I would argue that there is a distinction between the two. I prefer the term freelance lawyer when talking about a lawyer who works with several law firms on a project-by-project basis. Conversely, contract lawyer generally describes lawyers who are typically hired on a full-time or part-time, fixed-term employment contract by a law firm or legal department. These contracts often last several months, or a year, may be subject to renewal, and the contract lawyer is paid a salary or an hourly rate. Contract lawyers also typically work at the law firm or company’s offices (if it is an in-house role) and are integrated into the team. They are expected to work closely with other lawyers in the law firm or legal department and are subject to the same policies, procedures, and performance expectations as the permanent full-time lawyers, including set hours of work, and, in some cases, billable targets. The term contract lawyer can also be used to refer to business lawyers who draft contracts, which creates some confusion. Practising as a contract lawyer is a great option for lawyers who want the stability of having a pay cheque every two weeks but only wish to commit to one law firm for a set time, most often a year. DOCUMENT REVIEW LAWYER Document review lawyers specialize in reviewing large volumes of documents for a particular legal matter, such as litigation, an investigation, or due diligence. This role is part of the e-discovery process. Their primary task is to review, identify, and flag documents for relevance, privilege, confidentiality, and other specific categories. Document review lawyers often work in teams and use specialized software to review and code documents quickly and efficiently. Many large firms have subsidiary companies dedicated to e-discovery and document review. However, as artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, many of these projects may only need minimal human involvement. For now, document review gigs remain a way for new lawyers to earn money if they are having a hard time finding their first traditional role, or for more experienced lawyers to pick up work and extra income when between full-time employment. FRACTIONAL GENERAL COUNSEL The fractional executive role has surged in popularity in all industries, especially post-pandemic now that remote or hybrid work has become commonplace. Fractional roles are particularly common among CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CMOs, CTOs, and now, for general counsel. Lawyers who act as fractional general counsel (sometimes called embedded corporate counsel) within corporations or in-house legal departments are not full-time employees. Those in this category are often independent contractors or consultants who offer ongoing legal services to businesses in a fractional or part-time capacity for companies that do not require a full-time general counsel. They may work with more than one company on a part-time basis. There are also fractional counsel companies that loan lawyers out to corporations for fractional general counsel engagements for a set period, often for months at a time. While being a fractional general counsel is similar to being a freelance lawyer in some ways, freelance lawyers typically only work for other lawyers. Freelance lawyers will work under the supervision of a general counsel, while a fractional general counsel acts as the corporation’s general counsel without supervision. LEGAL CONSULTANT A legal consultant may or may not be a licensed lawyer and the scope of their services will depend on the rules of their jurisdiction. Legal consultants often provide legal or regulatory advice and expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs or even private clients in the corporate context, but do not represent them in court. Specifically, they focus on short-term consulting engagements to provide professional advice on compliance, legal risk assessments, or policy development, for example. Large corporations or start-ups might hire legal consultants for specific projects such as mergers and acquisitions or regulatory compliance as an alternative to employing a full-time staff lawyer. It’s common for legal consultants to market themselves primarily for advisory work with project-based or retainer arrangements. A legal consultant may work directly with non-lawyer clients or end-clients, so their skillset might include the capacity to communicate legal concepts to laypeople. Many legal consultants are very experienced senior lawyers who have developed expertise in a specific area. RESEARCH OR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT LAWYERS Research or knowledge management lawyers are often full-time employees of one firm or company, although not always. Their role is to support the other lawyers or professionals by conducting legal research and managing the knowledge base of that firm. A key aspect of the discipline is to develop, implement, and maintain organizational knowledge management resources and keep up to date on the latest technology. This role is perfect for lawyers who want a full-time job with one employer but do not want to take on their own clients or conduct traditional practice. LOCUM A locum is a lawyer that stands in to cover or run another lawyer’s law practice while they take some sort of leave from work. For example, this could be parental, vacation, or health absence, among others. In this replacement capacity the locum is considered a member of the hiring firm for that period and is often viewed as such by clients and others. For example, a sole practitioner may go on a long vacation to Australia, and a locum would step in and assist the sole practitioner's end-clients directly with questions and review the work of their law clerk or student, etc For situations like this, extra professional liability insurance is encouraged. IN SUMMARY: Exploring Alternative Legal Careers There are many ways you can practice law outside of traditional legal work and the traditional lawyer and client relationship. While none of these roles were discussed as potential career options when I was in law school, I am now seeing schools educating their future lawyers on the many alternatives available. Ultimately, the legal profession is evolving in response to technological advances, changing business needs, and shifting attitudes toward work. Lawyers today have an array of flexible career paths beyond traditional practice, from fractional executive roles to consultancy, research, and locum opportunities. Embracing these innovative options allows legal professionals to adapt, thrive, and tailor their work to suit their expertise and lifestyle, ensuring that the law remains a dynamic and rewarding field for those willing to explore (and push!) its boundaries. Want to learn more about alternative legal careers, especially freelancing? Check out THE MODERN FREELANCE LAWYER: A GUIDE TO THE BUSINESS, ETHICS AND EVOLUTION OF FREELANCE LEGAL WORK. 
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  Erin C. Cowling is a former freelance lawyer, entrepreneur, business and career consultant, speaker, writer and CEO and Founder of Flex Legal Network Inc., a network of freelance lawyers.
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