Education required to be a lawyer

To be a lawyer one must put in several years of hard work and resolve, nevertheless it is a worthwhile experience. A lawyer’s job is so complex that it cannot be described in one line. But if simply put a lawyer safeguards the legal interests of his/her client, by representing them in the best possible manner.

Young aspirants must be aware of the rigorous yet systematic educational process for gaining a law degree. For earning the Juris Doctor degree, a prospective lawyer must have impeccable communication (both written and verbal), analytical and problem solving abilities. If you are contemplating about taking up law, here is how you can get a law degree and start your professional journey as a lawyer.

Bachelor’s Degree
If you are aiming to get into a law school, your first step should be completing your four-year long graduate degree. There is no such norm as to what specialization you need to pursue but try to hone your analytical, writing, and critical thinking skills. Although undergraduate degrees involving subjects like political science, writing, philosophy, economics, etc. can prove to be an added advantage due to its vast incorporation in law.

Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT), is one of the major elements for your law school application. This test basically comprises of multiple choice questions and essays. The LSAT assesses the quality of your knowledge in terms of critical thinking, coherent argumentative style, writing skills as well as analytical abilities.

Law School/ Juris Doctor degree (J.D.)
After getting into the law school of your choice, you will have to study for three more years to earn the Juris Doctor degree. For your first year, you will be studying fundamental courses related to constitution, federal laws, court room proceedings, legal writing, etc. Then you will get an opportunity to specialize in the kind of law subjects you’re interested in. It could be environmental, criminal, real estate, juvenile, intellectual property, education corporate law, etc.

Bar Exam
The final and the most crucial step is to take the bar exam. You are required to take the bar exam after completing your law school in the state where you are planning to practice as a lawyer. If you pass the exam you will be a legal, licensed attorney in that particular state. The bar exam is generally held for over two days comprising of multiple choice question categories and a sequence of extensive writing questions.

New lawyers can commence their careers by working in law firms as junior associates, where they can observe, learn and apply their skills. They can also acquire higher academic degrees like a master’s degree in law or a doctorate degree as they practice law.