Lawyer Carrer

All your life, you wondered what you were going to do when you grew up. While most kids in their childhood have harbored the desire to become teachers, firemen, astronauts, doctors, or even supermodels, how many considered a career as a lawyer? My guess would be hardly any! It isn't surprising though. A career in law is by no means easy, especially if you do not have the patience for it. However, if you do decide to go ahead with it, make sure you study hard, and prove yourself to the best of your ability. Based on that, you can rest assured that you'll be financially secure, because the average salary of a lawyer is definitely fabulous!

Law as a Career

A lawyer, also known as an attorney, has a job profile that is a far cry from easy. Apart from the stressful years spent studying in order to get a degree, there is also the element of being able to survive in this cut throat profession. Ideally, people should consider the profession only if they know that they will be able to last out for a long time to come. If you do have that much required perseverance, the career path for a lawyer is most rewarding. Make no mistake though, it may seem mighty appealing, but as fascinating a field as it may sound, a person needs to be aware about all the steps involved towards becoming a lawyer. Here is all that you need to keep in mind when looking at this field, and planning your career as a lawyer.

Basic Education

The first step towards your career as a lawyer is studying hard and getting good grades in high school. Without good grades, you don't have much to begin with anyway. More specifically, it takes 4 years of undergraduate studies followed by 3 years of law school (4 years if you are studying part-time) in order to become a lawyer. That means you spend at least 7 years trying to get some place real in this field. This is reason enough for you to be sure that this is what you want to do for the rest of your professional life. Another criterion with regard to application to law schools is that you must have a bachelor's degree from a recognized college or university, so as to be an eligible applicant at a law school licensed by the American Bar Association (ABA). The reason behind considering schools accredited by the ABA, is that a school like such matches up to certain prerequisites, and it gives quality education regarding legal systems and the likes. Once you are done with high school, as well as obtained your four-year degree, the next step is LSAT.

Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

The Law School Admission Test or LSAT is the exam taken once you've graduated. A half-day standardized test, the LSAT takes place 4 times a year. This test is essential so as to judge certain skills which are important so as to make it through law school successfully. This test examines abilities like reading comprehension, analytical reasoning and logical reasoning, all of which are extremely crucial, as they help determine and evaluate reasoning and litigious skills in the candidate.

Law School

Clearing the LSAT with a good score and acceptance into a good law school starts your 3 yearlong journey towards becoming an attorney. At the end of three years, a student is conferred with a juris doctor degree.

Bar Examination and Ethics Examination

Other educational aspects involve the Bar Examination and the Ethics Examination, both of which are taken only upon graduation from law school. In some states however, students are permitted to take the Ethics examination on completion of an ethics course. The Bar exam on the other hand, is possible only after graduation. Making it through this exam makes you a licensed lawyer.

Once you make it through the education procedures, you can choose to narrow your practice down to one particular line too. While you have different types of legal practice such as private practice, corporate counsel, government counsel or even public interest law, there is a whole lot of specializations to choose from. Some specialized practice areas for lawyers are, civil litigation, labor and employment, family, environmental, criminal, intellectual property, international, immigration, etc. Irrespective of what you pick, you must be prepared for long, excruciating hours of work. The incentive will be your earnings.

Now that you know how to become a lawyer, if you think you have what it takes and are absolutely deciding on a career in law, good going! Wish you luck for your endeavor.

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