How to Address a Gap in Employment While Transitioning from Accounting to Law?

I graduated with an Accounting degree and had an internship at a well-known firm prior to graduation. I knew I wanted to go to law school, and a few months before my expected start date, I informed the firm I couldn’t return in order to focus on studying. Since then, I haven’t been employed in my field and have been preparing for law school. I am still studying for the LSAT, but I’ve started job hunting and am open to various opportunities, including accounting and legal roles. However, I feel that transitioning into an accounting role would be the easiest path given my degree.

I am taking a year off before law school and need a job. The issue is that I don’t want to openly tell employers in the accounting field that I plan to eventually transition to law, as I fear they might hesitate to hire me for that reason. I also don’t have a master’s degree and I’m not enrolled in a program, so I’m not eligible to sit for the CPA exam, which I know is a common concern for employers. Every employer I’ve spoken with has asked about the gap since May and why I didn’t go back to my old firm. I did receive an offer from them, but I pushed it off because I was focusing on law school prep. I can’t say that outright, though, because I’m worried they won’t want to hire me if I mention my plans.

I just feel really stuck. I’m not sure how to handle these questions and how to explain the gap without jeopardizing my chances. Any advice on how to approach this situation would be really helpful!