How to Become a Lawyer in Texas
Attorneys represent both individuals and businesses in a variety of settings including civil, cooperate and criminal matters. But to become an attorney in the state of Texas, you must earn a bachelor's degree, graduate from an accredited law school and pass the State of Texas Bar Exam. After passing the Bar, you can apply for positions with both private and government agencies. Here's a guide to becoming a lawyer in Texas.
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Instructions
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Earn your bachelor's degree. The first step to becoming a lawyer in Texas is completing your bachelor's degree. When completing your bachelor's program, focus heavily on courses in criminal justice, communications and public speaking. For a list of bachelor's programs in Texas, check out the Texas Directory (see Resources).
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Take the Law School Admissions Council Test (LSAT) and apply for admissions to law school. Law schools in the state of Texas require that all applicants submit an LSAT testing score. Make sure to take your test early, because law school applications should be completed six to 12 months before you plan on attending. For a list of Texas Law Schools, check out AllLaw (see Resources).
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Apply to take the Texas State Bar Exam. Once you've completed law school, you're eligible to sit for the Texas State Bar Exam. To schedule a testing date and time, visit the Texas State Bar's website (see Resources) or call (512) 427-1463.
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Submit a background check. The state of Texas requires applicants to have high moral and ethical standards. You will be required to consent to a background check during the application processes.
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Apply to Texas attorney positions. Once you've passed the Texas State Bar, you're ready to apply to positions. The Texas State Bar (see Resources) allows attorneys to search jobs from corporate legal departments, government agencies and leading law firms in the state of Texas.
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Tips & Warnings
Study for a couple months before taking the bar. Most law applicants take a minimum of two months to study for the Texas State Bar -- which is a very difficult test to pass.
Don't forget to update your resume. Once you've completed the required education and passed the state bar, make sure to update your resume. For samples of attorney resumes, check out Sample Resume (see Resources).
Resources
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Comments
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My question, that linked me to this article, was: " when did Texas begin REQUIRING a law degree to become a lawyer?" Growing up, it was common knowledge, that Texas was one of only a few states, that only required, someone to pass the Texas State Bar Exam, to practice law.
