The Process of Becoming a Lawyer
A lawyer’s job is to advise his clients on legal matters, defend and defend them in court if necessary. Aspiring attorneys require extensive training in legal research, procedures, and writing to be successful. After graduation, students must enroll and complete a law degree at a law school. Lawyers must then pass the bar exam in the state where they wish to practice to practice law.
After you get your bachelor’s degree, you can apply to law school. In most cases, you will need to take the Law School Admission Test, or LSAT, to get into law school. If you know what you want to specialize in after you finish your law degree, it can help to take courses in that area while studying for your undergraduate degree. For example, if you want to become a criminal lawyer, you should take criminal justice courses, and if you are interested in environmental law, it is good to take some environmental science courses.
No specific major is required when applying to law school, but students should work to improve their speaking, reading and argumentation skills while studying for a degree. Courses in English and political science are often useful for students trying to develop such skills. Politics and English classes are also useful for strengthening critical thinking skills and preparing for Law School entrance exams.
After receiving your bachelor’s degree, it’s time to apply to law school. Typically, students attend law school for three years and receive a doctorate in law upon graduation. Law schools do not follow a standard or mandatory curriculum, but most schools aim to give students a broad overview of the legal field. In addition to studying legal writing, law students will learn how to conduct legal research online and in the library. Students typically must complete a year and a half of law school before enrolling in specialized courses in their field. During this time, law students are also encouraged to apply for study abroad programs that allow them to observe and participate in court cases. Many law schools offer special legal clinics that allow students to work with licensed attorneys to meet with clients and research cases.
After receiving a law degree, law graduates must take and pass the bar exam in the state where they intend to practice. The bar exam can consist of a variety of different tests and can vary depending on the jurisdiction in which the exam is administered. Most courts will test not only knowledge of the law, but also appropriate professional practice. Law school graduates may take several attempts to pass the bar exam.
Becoming a lawyer requires a large amount of study, and students must be serious about doing well in order to succeed and graduate from law school and pass the exam. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lawyers can expect an average salary of around $114,000. For more information on becoming a lawyer, education requirements, passing the bar exam, and more, consult the resources listed below.