What You Need to Be a Lawyer
Many rewards are associated with becoming a lawyer, including prestige and the opportunity to earn an above average salary. The road to becoming a lawyer is packed with long hours of study and intense devotion to achieving a goal. Aside from completing the required schooling, a successful lawyer must possess certain personal attributes. These attributes include the willingness and ability to handle responsibility; a genuine concern for people; the ability to win the confidence of others; creativity and reasoning skills; and the ability to maintain composure under pressure.
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Education
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Lawyer hopefuls must complete high school and approximately seven years of post-secondary education. This includes four years to obtain a bachelor’s degree and 3 years of law school. There is no required “pre-law” major. However, students should pursue a degree that helps them develop proficiency in reading, writing public speaking, researching, logical thinking and analyzing, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In addition, the BLS recommends taking courses in a variety of disciplines, including philosophy, government, foreign languages, English, mathematics, economics and history. Students wishing to pursue a certain area of law should take courses that correspond with that area.
Law School
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In 2008, there were 200 law schools accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) as well as other law schools approved by state authorities. ABA law school applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and a achieve a good score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). In addition, law schools generally take college grades and work experience into consideration. Some law schools require a personal interview. The weight placed on admission factors differs by law school. Applicants must submit certified transcripts through the Law Data Assembly Service. The Service submits the transcripts and your LSAT scores to the law schools of your choice.
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Competition
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Competition to gain admittance into law school is very fierce. According to the BLS, “the number of applicants greatly exceeds the number that can be admitted." Applicants with the highest scores on the LSAT and the best grades on their college transcripts have the best chance for admittance.
Law School Curriculum
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First-year law school students spend the majority of their time studying core courses. These courses include the different areas of law, legal writing and civil procedure. The remaining years are devoted to learning about the specific area of law the student is interested in. Depending on the school, students may have the opportunity to practice their skills by participating in moot courts, legal clinics, and supervised practice trials. Students also have opportunities to write articles for law journals and to work in law offices or other environments as an intern. Those who successfully complete law school are awarded with the juris doctor (J.D.) degree.
Continuing Education
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Lawyers must participate in continuing education to meet the licensing requirements of most states. As of 2008, mandatory continuing education was required by 46 states and jurisdictions in the United States. The type of acceptable continuing education accepted varies by state.
Licensure
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Applicants must pass the licensing or bar requirements of the state in which they intend to practice. The exact requirements are established by a jurisdiction’s highest court. All applicants must pass the written bar examination. A majority of states require applicants to pass ethics examinations as well.
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References
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