Entering the legal profession isn’t a piece of cake. It requires a ton of hard work and dedication, which is why the choice to become a lawyer shouldn’t be made frivolously. Acquiring a license to exercise law in the U.S. requires years of effort, and generally, it’s a field of study that demands a lot of investment.
You might even have to take student loans to cover the expenditure of law school. But, of course, all of it pays off when at the end of your labor, you get the fruit of a respectable job and a six-figure salary.
Now obviously, you won’t be able to enjoy the perks of the profession without the required determination and preservice.
Moreover, knowing the right path to attain the license can ease a lot of hurdles in the journey. Through this column, we attempt to help you cover at least one of those things!
Join us as we share with you the steps involved in becoming a legal counselor.
Step 1: Educate yourself about legal jobs and careers
Experienced attorneys suggest that someone who’s looking forward to starting a career in a legal field should conduct adequate research to determine whether or not they would enjoy the life of a lawyer. Discover law, one of the most valuable and resourceful portals available on the Law School Admission Council’s website, provides all the answers related to this query.
Additionally, it might be prudent to conduct informational interviews with experienced and practicing attorneys to get a clear picture of this profession and secure a law-related job or an internship.
Step 2: Good communication skills and strong work ethic
Once you’ve made up your mind that the profession is a good choice for you, the next step is to take academic help and get involved with the right extracurricular activities (such as debates, writing, and mock trial teams) that will enable you to become a great lawyer.
These activities allow aspirants to improve their speech and capacity to argue cogently. Students looking forward to becoming great lawyers should also be cerebral since the law is a scholarly profession that demands intellectual expertise.
Step 3: Select if you’ll attend law school or study as a legal probationer
Although most states in the U.S. demand a law degree, states like Vermont and California allow candidates to become a lawyer without attending law school if they hold an experience of training under a practicing attorney. This practice is known as reading the law, and it’s rare for striving attorneys to do in the present day, though it used to be a familiar practice traditionally.
Step 4: Get into a good law college & procure a law degree
Some law schools can be very finicky when it comes to accepting applications. They consider a student’s GPA and test scores and pay close attention to their resume and personal statements. Legal industry experts advise that the aspirant should be precise when choosing a law school, since their choice will influence their future.
Step 5: Get divulged to the bar where you desire to practice
To exercise law in the U.S., an ambitious lawyer predominantly needs to pass the bar exam in the dominion where they wish to practice. Some state exams can be extremely hard, which is why candidates need to take these tests earnestly. They need to soak up as much knowledge as they can while in law school, since they will require that knowledge in the bar.
Wrapping up
Students must realize that the objective of taking admission in a law school isn’t plainly to get high grades. The motive is to ace the study material and learn the tricks of the trade. It would probably be wise to remember that a legal aspirant starts preparing for the bar exam from day one.