Remember that time when the downstairs neighbors stole your business idea and were left hopeless because you couldn’t afford to hire an attorney? Indeed, your thunder was stolen. On that day, you decided to stand up for those who’ve also been snatched of their greatness – you started studying law!
However, entering the legal field is no small task. Therefore, the choice to becoming a lawyer should not be made flippantly, experts suggest. Getting a license to practice law in the United States generally demands years of strenuous effort. It may require a significant amount of student loan obligation to cover law school.
Not going to lie, but a career in law often leads to a six-figure income. Additionally, a traditional law degree is way beyond your only option – there are various routes to becoming a lawyer. Not all lawyers actively practice law. Fulfilling the requirements to obtain a law license makes you a lawyer.
The path to becoming a respectable lawyer can be a challenging one. It’s essential to begin your path early and learn impeccable study habits while still in school. You may be striving for your epitome career or perhaps waiting to be inspired.
Just remember, to be a lawyer, you have to be an academic genius – and that’s just a tiny piece of the journey. The path to having a successful legal career is everything below:
- Undergraduate Degree
The first step to becoming a lawyer is to acquire an undergraduate degree. Most candidates choosing a career in the legal field will need to maintain their GPA above 3.0. Some law schools do not focus on particular subject areas that a student majors in. Going with a particularly challenging subject can be a red flag as your GPA could agonize as a result.
One exception is for someone interested in criminal law. A person who wishes to perform such a practice will need to have at least a criminal justice degree online. A criminal defense lawyer has to sit for the patent bar that demands a criminology degree.
- LSAT
Now, moving to the most critical and you-cannot-skip step of the journey, LSAT. To be accepted into any law school, a candidate will be required to ace the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
This test is mandatory for every certified law school. The standardized test takes a few hours to complete and assesses a candidates’ verbal reasoning skills and assimilated reading skills. Furthermore, law school uses this information to evaluate their applicants.
While the test may not be the most significant measure of how someone will perform in law school, however, some schools rely on these scores way more than they should, the same weight positioned on the candidate’s college GPA.
Those candidates who do not have an outstanding GPA scoring high on the LSATs can boost their chances of gaining access to law school. The majority of schools use the LSATs as a factor when selecting financial aid.
- Pursuing a Law Degree
Just think about it; is it possible to become a lawyer without a law degree? Of course, not!
According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, your need to have a law degree. Only then will you be able to take the bar exam. A candidate needs to graduate from an accredited law school in most states if they want to be eligible to take the bar exam. You can attend unaccredited schools in other states, but you must complete the additional testing requirements.
- MPRE
Before signing up for the Bar exam, aspiring lawyers must pass a principles exam entitled Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, or MPRE. It is a 120-minute test entailing 60 multiple-choice questions. The test is offered three times per year. Other than that, it is a precondition for writing the Bar exam in all but three United States jurisdictions (Wisconsin, Puerto Rico, and Maryland).
- Finally, the Bar Exam
The last step to becoming a skilled lawyer is to pass the Bar exam. The exam is not easy at all. In some states, the passing score is 40%. Like the MPRE, the Bar exam consists of an essay and multiple-choice questions that evaluate your knowledge of state law and your competence to apply the law smartly to various fact-based scenarios.
What Are the Job Prospects for Lawyers?
Lawyers might run wild in any of the following dimensions:
- Public defender
- Private practice
- Non-profit attorney
- District attorney
- Law professor
- Lobbying or advocating for a client
- Administrative law judge
- Legislative drafter
- A judge in the judicial system
- Magistrate
- Attorney for a government firm
- Lobbying or advocacy for a charity on behalf of diminished groups
- In-house counseling
- Research assistant
See, plenty of seats!
The Verdict
That wasn’t so hard now, was it?
Lawyers have various motivations for entering the legal field. It’s a profession that demands ambition. For individuals who enjoy the thrill of a challenge and the rewards and pride that come with climbing the corporate ladder, the law may be a great fit.
Lastly, the journey won’t be easy, but it’ll surely be worth it once you reach the end.