The discipline of the courtroom, the respect of the jury, and the arguments thrown by the attorneys are often alluring enough to pull young people into the field of law especially when case proceedings are portrayed in an extremely mind-boggling manner in movies! But dreaming of entering the legal field and actually earning a law degree are two different things.
To become a licensed lawyer in the U.S., you have to put in laborious hours and quite a bit of an investment when sailing through law schools. But that’s just during the study phase.
Once you bag that degree, the road leads to a six-figure salary, and this is proven by the data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics which shows the median annual compensation of U.S. lawyers in May 2019 as $122,960.
Considering becoming a lawyer? We’ve got a few tips here that are sure to help you with it.
Stay updated with the available legal jobs and career options
Experts suggest that people who are thinking about becoming lawyers should explore the legal field to understand whether they’d enjoy it or not. To get handy information, they should use the “Discover Law” portal on the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website, which gives in-depth knowledge about a lawyer’s life and contributions to society. Moreover, conducting interviews with practicing attorneys and interning in a law-related field is also recommended for beginners.
Read – The Discover Law Portal
Polish communication and reasoning skills
Once you identify that the legal profession is a good fit for you, start looking at the activities that can contribute to making you a good lawyer. Polish your reading and writing skills and enroll for courses in social sciences as well as analytical programs for mastering reasoning and logical skills.
Choose between attending a law school and becoming a legal apprentice
Most U.S. states prefer licensed lawyers with law degrees, but states like California and Vermont permit students to become lawyers without attending law schools. Such students can work and train under the supervision of a practicing attorney, and the process is named “reading the law.”
The best part about it is that it opens several doors for students who can’t afford to join a law school. The process is quite similar to studying in a law school and involves the same amount of commitment.
Get good LSAT or GRE scores
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a common law school entrance exam that makes for a lawyer’s career’s stepping stone. Every law student should ideally clear this exam to be eligible for enrolment. Some law schools have now started accepting Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores and eligibility criteria as well.
Read – Your guide to prepare for the LSAT
To wrap it up
Every aspiring lawyer dreams about studying in the best law school. But you should know that to convert your dreams into reality, you need to work hard, focus on tackling the challenges, and keep moving ahead. So stay positive and focus on preparing yourself.