Becoming an Attorney

by Calyn Ehid

From becoming a doctor, firefighter, dentist, cop, or teacher, these are all careers that are looked at very brightly not only if you live in America but across the world. One of the most promising careers one can choose is becoming a lawyer. Growing up a lot of cultures idolize careers like becoming a lawyer because it’s profitable and is looked at so proudly across the globe. The simple fact may be its hard and not for everyone.

Schooling

Schooling for law school is relatively short compared to becoming a doctor but depending on your program that you choose, school can either range from three to five years. One of the first steps to earning what is called a Judicial Doctorate (J.D) is completing high school. You will not get very far in your career without taking care of this easy step first. Once you carry on to your four-year college, many get caught up in the fact that you have to be a criminal justice major in order to achieve an JD but that’s not true. Many degrees that Prelaw students may choose are English, political science, economics, business, philosophy, and journalism.

LSAT Test

After your undergraduate degree is completed, you will have to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). In the same way that the SAT judges a candidate’s ability to complete college, the same thing is true for the LSAT. The LSAT is a test that comprised of logic, reading comprehension, critical thinking, how you manage information, and a written test which is unscored. Many students wait until the last six months of their undergraduate to begin preparing and to take the LSAT, which is acceptable but also can be taken whenever one deems him or herself ready.

Next Steps

Once you have completed your undergraduate schooling, you are not hampered by a specific time frame of when you should answer law school. Many students will continue other career paths before deciding to enroll in law school to gain professional experience.  Many factors are considered when you are applying to law school. The standard ones include your GPA, Undergraduate coursework, and of course your LSAT. Some may get concerned if one of those three are not up to the schools of interest standard, but when applying to Law school much more is taken in to consideration. Your community service, organizations joined during school, recommendation letters from educators, and your written essay are all taken into major consideration.

Once you are accepted into your respective Law school, you may think you have to pick a degree and what law you want to specialize in right away. With most JD degrees earned in a three-year program and choosing what law you want to specialize in decided upon in year two. The first year is almost a crash course of the variety of different types of law that are practiced throughout the country and specific to the different states. Other degrees like your MBA can be earned at the same time as your JD.

Once your JD is earned you will decide what state you want to practice law in. In order to practice you have to pass the BAR. Not every state has the same Laws, so you may have to look into see if you pass the bar in one state if it is accepted in the next. The Bar exam is usually broken down into two days, the first day a complete exam and day two focuses on your writing on various legal matters.

Many programs that exceed two or three years usually have you earning a different degree to go along with your JD