It takes a long time and involves several steps to become a lawyer. It will require a lot of effort and resolve. But despite all the effort, the prospect of a well-regarded, lucrative job with the chance to change the world is a powerful drive.
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What is a lawyer?
A person who practises law is known as a lawyer. In various legal systems, a lawyer’s duties are very different. An attorney can be categorised as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counsellor, solicitor, legal executive, or public servant, each of which has distinct responsibilities and rights. In most cases, a lawyer’s job entails using practical legal expertise and abstract legal theories to address particular issues. Additionally, some attorneys focus their efforts primarily on promoting the rule of law and the legal profession.
Step-by-step guide to becoming a lawyer
1) Get a bachelor’s degree
Before you can really dive deep into a career as a lawyer, you have to start by obtaining a bachelor’s degree. This is the basis that forms the foundation for a lawyer and is a mandatory requirement to get into any law school. Students with a wide range of degrees can enrol in law schools, however, among of the most popular undergraduate majors are political science, economics, philosophy, English, and criminal justice.
Take classes during your undergraduate years that are pertinent to the area of law you anticipate practising. For instance, you should take more business courses if you want to practise corporate law. Your undergraduate degree should help you develop a solid, broad knowledge basis and explore your interests.
2) Pass the LSAT (Law School Admission Test)
Once you have your bachelor’s degree, you can go ahead and write the Law School Admission Test also known simply as the LSAT. The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a crucial element of the law school admissions process, along with a bachelor’s degree. Admissions officers evaluate applicants’ qualifications and knowledge using LSAT scores as an objective metric. The test consists of five sections with multiple-choice questions and an ungraded writing sample. The LSAT evaluates a candidate’s abilities in key legal-related areas such as reading comprehension, information management, analysis and critical thinking, argumentation, and reasoning.
3) Apply and get into a law school
Once you have passed the LSAT you are officially eligible to apply to law schools. This probably the most competitive process as law schools are often looking for candidates who have high LSAT scores but they are also looking at things like letters of recommendation and extracurricular involvement. A local courthouse or law firm internship might demonstrate your commitment to the industry even more. Your desire to learn can be shown by participating in community service projects with a group.
4) Earn a Juris Doctor degree
The Juris Doctor (JD), which is now provided by 205 law schools that hold ABA accreditation, is the degree needed to practise law in the United States. Prior to applying, prospective students should familiarise themselves with the faculty, areas of study, tuition, and programme. There are several specialties within the field of law, so students should pick a school with a curriculum that focuses on their area of interest. Usually, the main areas of law concentrations are the following:
- Corporate law
- Family law
- Tax law
- Civil rights law
- Labor law
- Health law
- Intellectual property law
5) Pass the Bar
The final step to becoming a lawyer is commonly referred to as “passing the bar” or also known as passing the bar examination for whichever state you are hoping to practice in. The bar exam is typically a two-day test, though there may be minor differences from state to state. You will finish the Multistate Bar Examination on the first day, and the written exam will be administered on the second day.
The state’s bar examiners will take your test results into account together with your educational background, character, and capacity to represent others in legal situations after you have passed the exam. If you pass muster in each of these areas, you will then be given your law licence.
Good luck!