The Path to Becoming a Lawyer: An Educational Journey

Attending law school opens up a wide range of career opportunities, ranging from private legal practice to public service. The journey to becoming a lawyer is a challenging and demanding process. It requires a significant investment of time, effort, and money. Understanding the steps involved and the duration of each stage is crucial for aspiring lawyers. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the educational requirements, the law school experience, and the licensing process to become a practicing attorney.

Educational Foundation: Undergraduate Studies

The first step for most students hoping to become a lawyer is earning a bachelor's degree. A fact that many aspiring lawyers are not aware of is that not all law programs require applicants to have a bachelor's degree. Some law programs will accept an associate's degree or equivalent educational or work experience in lieu of undergraduate education. However, most law schools still prefer applicants with bachelor's degrees in law-related fields.

Choosing a Major

You can major in any field of study as a pre-law student. There is no required undergraduate major, law schools will and have accepted applicants from a wide variety of majors. Undergraduate majors emphasizing reading, writing, and critical thinking skills are best suited for law school.

Political Science: Political science is one of the most popular undergraduate degrees for pre-law students. Political science majors enter law school well-versed in the structure of the United States government, political theories, and international relations.
English: Undergraduate students who have studied literature are often well-prepared for law school. Considering that much of the work done in law school involves reading, writing, and critical thinking, having extensive practice with close reading and analysis is a huge advantage when entering law school.
History: History is another popular undergraduate degree for law school students. History students understand the intricacies of present-day society and how our government structures are built upon previous models. Furthermore, these students also have lots of practice with writing and analyzing texts and documents.
Criminal Justice: Criminal justice is an interdisciplinary degree in which students study various aspects of crime and law, including psychology, public administration, and politics. Criminal justice majors are especially well-prepared to become criminal justice lawyers.

Developing Essential Skills

After determining that the legal profession is a good fit, students should look for academic and extracurricular experiences that will help them develop skills necessary to be a great lawyer. Steven Freedman, associate dean of admissions at the University of Kansas School of Law, advises aspiring lawyers to take at least several upper-level humanities classes, since reading, writing and research skills developed in those courses are critical to most legal jobs. Courses in social science are also helpful, since they cultivate societal awareness and teach people skills. It's also beneficial to take analytical courses of some sort, whether in philosophy or science, technology, engineering or math - STEM fields - since logical reasoning is a fundamental component of the legal profession.

One great way to prepare for a career as a lawyer is to get involved with a speech and debate team or a mock trial team. Those extracurricular activities can help students learn to argue persuasively, lawyers explain, adding that drama also provides solid preparation for a legal career since the performing arts emphasize public speaking skills. Even an activity that doesn't initially appear to be related to the practice of law, such as playing a sport, writing for a school newspaper or doing volunteer work, could prove useful to aspiring attorneys if it helps them develop personal discipline and collaboration skills.

Read also: Enrollment at Notre Dame

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

Once students have earned an undergraduate degree, the next step toward becoming a lawyer is to take the Law School Admissions Test, better known as the LSAT. The LSAT is a standardized exam that assesses law school applicants on logic, reasoning, critical thinking, and reading comprehension. The primary part of the LSAT is a four-section multiple-choice test with questions intended to measure reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning. The second part of the LSAT is a written essay, known as LSAT Writing, which is administered online using the test taker’s computer. One can complete LSAT Writing up to eight days prior to the multiple choice test.

Law school admissions officers use this exam to determine whether applicants are prepared for the rigorous curriculum in law school. Many undergraduate students who hope to attend law school right after college take the LSAT in the summer before their senior year of undergrad. However, other students may opt to take the LSAT one to two years after graduating from college once they have accumulated more work and internship experience to boost their resume.

Law school applicants are only allowed to take the LSAT a maximum of three times in one year. The maximum number of times an applicant may take the LSAT in total is seven times. As a result, it's important to thoroughly prepare for the law school admission test and only take the exam when you have performed well on practice tests.

Law School: Earning a Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree

Once students have graduated from an undergraduate degree program and taken the LSAT, they can finally apply to law school! Aspiring lawyers must attend an American Bar Association-accredited law school to take the bar exam and become licensed attorneys.

Full-Time Programs

Most aspiring lawyers elect to enroll in a full-time Juris Doctor program. A Juris Doctor degree is required in the United States for a lawyer to practice law. As a result, a JD is the most common law degree.

JDs generally take three years to complete. Full-time J.D. programs typically last three years and usually are rigorous, especially during the first year, experts say. Students attending a full-time, three-year law program will generally follow a similar course of study.

During their first year of law school -called 1L- law students will take courses such as constitutional law, criminal law, property law, and legal analysis and writing. The law school curriculum generally covers some core areas of law for the first year and a half, such as criminal law, civil procedure, property law, and contracts. During this time, law students can also expect to learn the basics of legal writing and research. After the midpoint of the three-year law school journey, law students can then choose to courses specialized to types of law practices, such as bankruptcy, tax law, or environmental law.

In addition to classroom study, many law students participate in extracurricular activities. Students may contribute to law journals to gain editorial experience in the law field or participate in mock trial courts to exercise their public speaking skills. Many law students will seek to earn placement on their school’s law review or other legal journals, to develop and demonstrate their writing and research skills. Students can also apply for externships and legal clinics that will allow them to observe real-world legal activities. It’s also important to seek a well-rounded education that exposes the student to the realities of practicing law. Many facets of the profession, such as working at law firms, will be vastly different from your law school experience. Law school is a challenging academic experience meant to build analytical reasoning and argument skills along with knowledge of case law.

Part-Time Programs

Students who wish to stay employed while attending law school or have significant financial or family obligations can opt to attend law school part-time. Many schools provide an option for law students to take part-time evening classes. Part-time law students can work full-time and/or care for their family members while simultaneously attending law school.

Part-time law students complete the same number of credit hours as full-time students. However, part-time programs often take four-to-five years or longer to complete law school, compared to three years for full-time students. Students who choose to work and attend law school simultaneously generally take law school classes as part-time students, extending their graduate education to four to five years.

Choosing a Law School

When evaluating candidates for a J.D., or juris doctor degree, admissions officers consider multiple factors, including college GPA, test scores, the personal statement and resume. Base your law school selection on your individual needs.

"Students should be looking for the best fit for them. It's not one size fits all," Sugin says. "I think it's really important for students to understand that different law schools have different cultures. They have different academic emphases, they have different alumni networks.

Additional Law Degrees

Master of Laws (LLM) Degree: Once law students graduate from a Juris Doctor program, those that wish to explore a specialized area of law may pursue a Master of Laws degree. The LLM degree generally takes one year to complete. Practicing lawyers from other countries can also pursue an LLM degree to become qualified lawyers in the United States. In total, earning an LLM degree requires four years of undergraduate study, three years in law school, and one additional year to earn the Master's degree.
Master's Degree in Law: The Master's Degree in Law is a separate degree from a JD that gives students who do not wish to become lawyers an opportunity to learn more about law. These students may pursue a Master of Science in Law, a Juris Master, or a Master of Legal Studies. Many students who receive a Master's degree in law become paralegals, court reporters, or legal administrative assistants working in the court system alongside lawyers, judges, and prosecutors.
Legal Certificate: A legal certificate is another type of law degree available to students who want to work in law but do not aspire to become practicing lawyers. A legal certificate program is the shortest law degree and usually takes between three months to three semesters to complete. Most legal certificate programs require applicants to have a bachelor's degree as a prerequisite. Lawyers with JDs can also earn a legal certificate to further specialize in a particular area of the law, such as cybersecurity or health care law.
Doctor of Juridical Science: The Doctor of Juridical Science or SJD degree is intended for lawyers who have already earned a Juris Doctor degree and Master of Laws degree. The SJD prepares lawyers to become legal academics and scholars in the law field. Typically, the SJD degree takes students 3-4 years to complete. In total, SJD degree holders will have attended four years of undergrad, three years of law school, one year for their Master of Laws degree, and an additional 3-4 years to earn the SJD.
Doctor of Philosophy in Law: A Ph.D. in law is one of the highest degrees a lawyer can hold and prepares graduate students to work as professors, legal researchers, or legal consultants. A Doctor of Philosophy in Law usually takes up to 6 years to complete. Students in Ph.D. programs will take graduate student classes, prepare dissertations, and review jurisprudence in different occupations.

The Bar Exam: Gaining Licensure

Once law students have graduated from law school, the next step to practicing law is taking the bar exam. To take the bar exam, law school graduates must apply for and take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam and apply to take the bar with the Board of Bar Examiners in the state they want to practice law. You must take and pass the bar examination before you’re licensed to practice law in a state.

Most law school students begin studying for the bar in their third and last year of law school. Law students may spend up to 600 hours studying for this challenging exam, which equates to 10 to 16 weeks of full-time studying. Students should soak up as much knowledge as they can during law school, since they will need it to pass the bar, says Elena Langan, dean and professor of law at Touro University's Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in New York. J.D. students should realize that the goal of taking a law school course isn't simply to get an A; the point is to master the material covered, she says. "You, in essence, start preparing for the bar exam from Day One."

Bar exams tend to be comprehensive, difficult, and a test of endurance. Depending on the state, the exam will take two or three days. Moreover, bar exams are generally only available twice a year. This raises the stakes for each exam. Even after passing the bar exam, there will likely be other requirements that will vary from state to state. For example, you may need to pass a professional responsibility exam. Many states also have character and fitness requirements.

Financial Considerations

The schooling required to become a practicing lawyer can be a hefty financial investment. It's no secret that law school is a costly educational investment, and most law students need to take out student loans to pay for their tuition, fees, and living expenses. Law school can cost anywhere between $13,000 to over $60,000 annually, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition. Luckily, financial aid options and scholarships are available for law students to help relieve the financial burden of law education. Applying for financial aid and scholarships can help offset the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses.

Students who choose to work and attend law school simultaneously generally take law school classes as part-time students, extending their graduate education to four to five years. Other students may be forced to take some time away from school after undergrad to save money to pay for law school. Many law schools award merit scholarships to their top accepted applicants or exceptional students who scored highly on the LSAT. Aspiring law school students can also browse scholarships for law school on Bold.org's exclusive scholarship platform. Student loan programs are available to assist law students.

Alternative Paths to Becoming a Lawyer

In some states, you can become a lawyer without attending law school, or at least without attending the full three years. In four states-California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington-you can become a licensed attorney without attending law school at all. The apprenticeships typically require a minimum number of weekly hours worked in a legal practice for a specified period of time, some of which must be under the direct supervision of an attorney. This also requires a certain number of study hours.

A Glimpse into the Legal Profession

A career in law requires a degree in law, excellent communication and research skills, and the ability to think critically. You need a bachelor’s degree in law and a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree to become a qualified lawyer. Lawyers are in a service profession, so our primary role is to help our clients. Aspiring lawyers need to think about their social and emotional skills, their personal resilience, as well as their intellectual skills. We also have an obligation to all legal institutions and to the democratic system. Young people who have a strong sense of ethical obligation, personal integrity and commitment to justice - I think those are really important attributes.

There are many specializations to choose from, such as aviation law, sports and entertainment law, corporate law, real estate law, immigration law and criminal law. Many lawyers first obtain a bachelor’s degree, followed by a Juris Doctor (JD) from a law school.

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