How to Become an Employment Lawyer in California
An employment lawyer is an advocate for the fair and just treatment of employees in the workplace. From discrimination to harrassment, an employment lawyer will solve, or prevent, legal problems for workers. The road to becoming an employment lawyer in California is long and requires a lot of education, but the rewarding career is well worth it.
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Things You'll Need
- College degree
- 3-year law school degree (Juris Doctor)
- LSAT study materials
Instructions
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Register and complete four years of college. Develop critical thinking, reading, writing, public speaking, primary and secondary research, and analytical skills, economics. Work to obtain a high grade point average as well as supplement your law curriculum with an internship or co-op at a law office.
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Consult various self-testing materials to prepare for the Law School Admission Test, otherwise known as the LSAT--an entrance exam that is administered four times a year for admittance to law school. Enroll in a prep course or purchase online study materials and books to prepare for the LSAT. Purchase an audio companion for study materials as well.
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Register and obtain approval from the State Board of Law Examiners before entering law school. You can register with the State Board of Law Examiners within 90 days of beginning your law education.
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Apply to an accredited law school. A law school must be accredited with the American Bar Association in order to issue a law degree. Because the application process is arduous, it is recommended that you apply to at least three to five institutions.
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Work within the law school to enhance your area of specialization. In this case, your specialized area of practice will be employment law.
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Master the components of employment law: Harassment (Sexual Harassment, Gender Harassment, Sexual Orientation, Pregnancy, Racial Harassment, Medical Condition, Religion, Retaliation); Discrimination (Sexual Discrimination, Gender Discrimination, Sexual Orientation, Pregnancy, Racial Discrimination, Right to Wear Pants, Religion Retaliation); Termination (Wrongful Termination, Whistleblower, Qui Tam, Sarbanes-Oxley, Retaliation); and Overtime and Wage (Overtime, Contract, Misclassification, Retaliation).
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Pass the First-Year Law Students’ Examination and continue to build a resume of strong academic work and industry-based experience via internships. At the end of the 3-year law school courses, you will earn a Juris Doctor degree.
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Take and pass the California Bar Association examination as well as the California written ethics examinations.
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Join an employment law association and review industry specific publications such as the California Bar Journal.
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Write a resume that highlights your education, experience and volunteer work. Begin the resume submission process within the private or public sector, depending on your interest. Use a query letter to highlight personal and professional achievements. Be sure to include involvement in such activities as the Bar Review or University Law Student's Association.
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Consult a trusted mentor or professor to provide you with an inside track to a particular law firm. You may also review industry trade magazine employment classifieds to build a list of potential employers.
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