Before you hire a lawyer, you may want to learn about what it takes to become a legal professional. This will give you a greater understanding for why attorneys charge what they do for their services.
Whether you are looking to hire a lawyer or considering it as a possible career move,
you may be wondering just what training goes into becoming a legal professional. Sometimes understanding all of the education an attorney must have to practice will help you appreciate their expertise and mind the fees you pay for services a little less.
The first step in becoming an attorney is earning an undergraduate degree. Many lawyers choose their school carefully and opt for one with a pre-law program, but this is not technically a requirement. However, schools with a good pre-law program or a reputation for excellent academics can make your chances of getting into law school much better. Grade point averages are important for those applying for law school, so undergraduates have to work hard to get good grades.
Once you have a four-year degree with a good GPA under your belt, you will need to take the LSAT, or Law School Admission Test. This is a test that determines whether or not you can go to law school. You will want to prepare carefully for this through practice tests, books, and quizzes. Make sure your scores are pretty good, and if they are not, you may want to take the test again.
You will want to apply to several law schools, because many are quite strict with their admissions requirements. To improve your reputation when you become a lawyer, choose a school that is recognized by the American Bar Association and is accredited properly in your state.
Most law school programs take approximately three years. During your time in law school, participate in other activities that have a legal bent, such as publishing scholarly articles. These will all be placed on your lawyer resume once you have graduated. You will also need to choose a specialization while you are in law school, as much your education will focus on that particularly area. When you complete your law school program, you will be awarded the Juris Doctor degree.
There is one more step to actually becoming a lawyer, however. Before you can practice, you will need to pass the state Bar examination. This is not always easy, as these tests are very stringent and can be difficult to pass the first time. You can take it again and again until you pass, however, but it pays to be well prepared for your first time, since these tests do cost money.
Once you have passed the bar, you are able to practice as an attorney. It may take several years before you have the experience under your belt to have a solid reputation, so you may choose to practice as a junior lawyer in a firm or as a public defender to build your resume, but passing the bar is the final step in having your license to practice law in your specialty area.
As you can see, it takes a lot of work and study to become a lawyer. So whether you are considering it for a career or are in the process of hiring an attorney, you can now better understand just how much work it takes to become one.
