What You Need to Become a Laywer
Lawyers play an important role in our society, serving as advocates for appropriate behavior and advisers when things go astray. Lawyers counsel clients about legal rights and provide advice about how to proceed. They appear in court to litigate cases, conduct research and interview witnesses. The amount of time a lawyer spends on certain tasks varies significantly based on his or her area of specialty. No matter what type of law is practiced, all lawyers must have extensive education and a state license.
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Bachelor’s Degree
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Before attending law school, an individual must complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university. No specific undergraduate major is required. However, those individuals planning to attend law school should ensure proficiency in areas such as writing, reading, public speaking, philosophy, government, and economics. Individuals thinking about specializing may want to take related courses. For example, a prospective bankruptcy lawyer may wish to take courses in accounting or economics.
Law Degree
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After completing a four-year degree, an individual must take the Law School Admissions Test and then be accepted to an accredited law school. Going to law school full-time takes three years. Law students study constitutional law, contracts, property law, civil procedures and learn about legal writing, in addition to selecting electives related to their career interests. Law schools generally offer legal clinics, mock court trails and other venues through which students can practice their skills. After successfully completing law school, a student will have earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree (J.D.).
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Licensure Examination
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Prior to becoming lawyers, holders of the J.D. degree must become licensed. No national exam currently exists and criteria differ in some states. Generally, an individual needs to take a two-day bar examination. Individuals take the Multistate Bar Examination on the first day, which is a 200-item test covering six areas of law. The second day is more likely to vary by state. Some states require a series of crafted essays based on relevant subject matters. Other states may round out the test with the Multistate Essay Examination and the Multistate Performance Test.
Character Review
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After the test-taking part of the bar examination is over, prospective lawyers face one more hurdle–a charter examination conducted by the local bar board. Because of the harm that an unethical lawyer can wreak on a society, bars seek to make careful decisions about who should be admitted to practice. Bar examiners seek to determine the "character and fitness" of potential lawyers by gathering background information about each applicant, and then hear from the candidates themselves.
Starting Out
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After licensure, most lawyers go to work for law firms as junior associates to build up experience or find work in corporate America. Some lawyers may become “clerks” in a court, up to and including the U.S. Supreme Court. Still others find work in government, working in a district attorney's office. No matter what path they take, lawyers have greater advancement opportunities as they gain more experience. Many experienced lawyers establish their own practices.
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References
- Photo Credit US Supreme Court image by dwight9592 from Fotolia.com
