Trying to break into the law field is very difficult, but for those with enough determination to pursue the career, there are a lot of great job opportunities as a lawyer to be had. Lawyers make above average salaries and for those that go on to start their own law firm, the potential to earn increases even more. But before you can make it to the highest echelons of law, you must first go through a rigorous education and make your way to the top. EverydayGuide has all you need to know to become a qualified lawyer.
1.First of all, you have to go to college and obtain a bachelor’s degree. There are no real restrictions on what types of degrees you’re allowed to get before you apply to law school, but most future law students opt to major in political science or business. But you are free to major in the arts and engineering if you so choose. What matters when applying to law school is your grade point average and grades. The more you can prove to a law school that you’re a hard worker, the better.
2.Following your university degree, it is time to take the LSAT. The LSAT, or law school admissions test, will look at your ability to do well once accepted to law school. The test is very similar to the SATs you took in high school, but instead of basing your overall grade on performance on the test, it will evaluate your ability to do well in law school. There aren’t any law related questions on the test, but many students spend a few weeks preparing to do well on the exam.
3.Obviously, once you’ve prepared for law school the next step is to apply and attend. There are many prestigious law schools in the country and your acceptance is based on how well you perform on your LSAT and in college. Law school is generally a three year program and may take longer if you don’t go full time. School itself isn’t necessarily difficult, but there are many concepts you must learn in your time there.
4.Once you graduate from law school, it’s time to take the bar exam. The bar exam for each state is different and in order to practice law in your state, you must pass the bar. The bar exam covers a lot of material you learned in law school and a lot of material you didn’t. Law school prepares you to think critically for the bar exam but may not necessarily prepare you with all the knowledge you need. There are many bar exam review courses you can take and we recommend enrolling one about six weeks before you take the actual exam.
5.Finally, once you’ve passed the bar exam, you may be asked to take a character evaluation. Some states, in addition to bar exam passage, will examine your character and ethical quality. The tests are different from state to state, but the test is a must before you’ll receive your accreditation to practice law.