The path to becoming a lawyer is often a difficult and arduous one that entails a significant amount of schooling and complete dedication on the part of the student. While it is not necessary to begin preparing to become a lawyer in high school, it is the best place to start if that is your chosen career path. Performing well in high school can help you get into the best colleges.
The first step in the process is to obtain a bachelor’s degree. To become a lawyer, the best undergraduate degree path is one that allows you to gain a solid foundation in the area of law you want to practice. Corporate lawyers, for example, may begin with a business degree. A history degree may be the best strategy for constitutional lawyers. Pre-law degrees are also available at many schools, and they provide a more generalized background in preparation for law school.
Students must take the LSAT in order to be accepted into law school after completing their undergraduate degree, or possibly even before. This exam is a significant stumbling block for anyone aspiring to be a lawyer. There are five sections, each with a 35-minute time limit. The test is graded on a scale of 120 to 180 points.
These results, along with a writing sample, are sent to law schools that you are considering applying to. These law schools will then determine whether you meet their admissions requirements. These criteria are generally consistent, though they may vary slightly from year to year depending on the strength of the applicant pool.
For those wishing to pursue a career as a lawyer, the associated costs can be a deterrent. After four years of college and the LSAT, there are still three years of schooling to complete before earning a law degree. Funding can be a challenge at times. As a result, it is critical that students consider all of their funding options. Work study, fellowships, and loans may be required in addition to scholarships and grants.
It may be necessary to choose a specialty once in law school. Some students specialize in criminal law, while others specialize in corporate law or any of a variety of other fields. Still, for the first year or so, nearly every student’s classes will be the same, so you’ll have some time to think about it.
The Juris Doctor law degree will be awarded to you once you have completed all of the requirements of the law school. This indicates that you are nearly finished with the steps necessary to become a lawyer. While this is an impressive achievement, it does not imply that you are a lawyer. There is one more step in the procedure to complete.
In many cases, the final step is to take the bar exam. Each state’s bar association is in charge of administering the bar exam. States have a set of criteria that must be met in order to take the bar. The student is now a lawyer after passing the bar exam. However, some states may require a multistate professional responsibility exam after passing the bar. This is an ethics test designed to ensure that those aspiring to be lawyers meet the highest ethical standards.