Law Schools & Careers | How to Become a Lawyer
Prospective lawyers must undertake a series of steps to practice law,
including completion of undergraduate and graduate degrees, examinations and
licensing processes. Prior to embarking in this journey, those interested
should ask themselves why they want to become a lawyer and if they are willing
to commit several years to studying law in order to do so. For those who
answer affirmatively, the following guide outlines the various academic, skill
building, and licensing steps required to begin a career practicing law. There
can be an excellent payoff by the hard work it takes to become a lawyer — the
median annual salary is $126,930, with salaries that exceed $200,000,
according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS).
How to Become a Lawyer
Complete a Bachelor’s Degree Program You Enjoy
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational requirement for admission to
law school. No singular field of study is recommended by the American Bar
Association at this level. In fact, the ABA notes that students gain admission
to law school from nearly every area of study, ranging from political science
to mathematics. Common undergraduate majors for prelaw students include
English, political science, economics, business, philosophy, and journalism.
There’s no correct major to pursue to get into law school. But according to
legal educators, prospective J.D. students who take classes they enjoy report
better GPA scores. And given the importance of your undergraduate GPA in the
law school admissions process, focusing on coursework you enjoy can help you
become a competitive candidate.
Pass the Law School Admission Test
Along with an undergraduate degree, the
Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a
core component of the law school admissions process. Admissions officers use
scores from the LSAT as an objective measure to assess the knowledge and
quality of applicants. The examination includes five multiple-choice question
sections and an unscored writing sample. The LSAT measures candidates’ skills
in critical areas of future legal work, including reading comprehension,
information management, analysis and critical thinking, reasoning, and
argumentation.
Identify Law Schools and Complete Applications
After finishing an undergraduate degree, some students choose to forego
further education, while others gain professional experience in other fields
prior to enrolling in law school. Regardless of the timing, prospective
students should only consider law schools accredited by the American Bar
Association. In addition to overall GPA, undergraduate coursework, and LSAT
scores, other admission factors may include community service, organizational
affiliations, and recommendation letters from educators, alumni or legal
professionals. The
Law School Admission Council is a great
resource for students in the research phase of the law school application
process.
Earn a Juris Doctor Degree
The Juris Doctor (JD) is the nationally recognized degree for practicing law
in the United States and is currently offered by 205 ABA-accredited law
schools. Prospective students should have knowledge of the faculty, areas of
study, tuition, and curriculum prior to applying. There are numerous
specialties within legal practice and students should select a program that
offers a focused curriculum in their area of interest. For example, students
may choose to concentrate in areas of real estate, property, criminal,
environmental, tax, or family law. Typically students can complete their Juris
Doctor in three years of full-time study. Popular concentrations include:
Corporate law: Corporate or business law is a lucrative field
with responsibilities such as the formation and dissolution of corporations,
mergers and acquisitions, corporate disputes, and more.
Family law: Family law deals with legal relations between
families such as marriage, divorce, domestic partnerships, adoption, and child
welfare.
Labor law: Labor attorneys deal with relations between
workers and employers, often representing one side or the other on matters
including discrimination, compensation, and collective bargaining.
Civil rights law: Civil rights lawyers work to protect
individuals’ civil rights, often representing individuals in matters against
or relating to the government.
Health law: Health law is a broad field that focuses on
everything related to healthcare, including healthcare policy, patents, and
medical malpractice.
Intellectual property law: Attorneys in this type of law work
to protect the intellectual property of clients through patents, trademarks,
and copyright.
Tax law: Tax lawyers work closely with the tax code, often
working on tax policy, and representing clients in tax matters.
Most states require lawyers to graduate from an ABA-approved law school and
pass the state bar examination prior to qualifying in that state. Although
each state sets its own testing guidelines, the bar exam is commonly a two day
process: day one is spent completing the Multistate Bar Examination while day
two focuses on writing examinations covering various legal matters. In
addition to the bar examination, the state board of bar examiners also
consider the candidate’s educational background, competence, character, and
ability to represent others in legal matters prior to offering full legal
licensure.
There are many opportunities for lawyers to advance their careers. Freshman
lawyers generally start out as associates, working closely with seasoned
lawyers to hone their craft. After several years of successful practice,
attorneys may rise to become partners in a firm while others may choose to
open their own law office. Some may move beyond practicing law and become a
judge or shift into public positions. Lawyers may also pursue further
education at both the master’s and doctoral levels. The Master of Law (LLM)
and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) are two common choices for lawyers interested
in careers involving research and academic scholarship.
What Does a Lawyer Do?
Lawyers are licensed by
their state’s bar association to represent clients on a wide range of legal
matters. Law is a broad field, but professionals typically provide legal advice,
perform research, gather information, draft legal documents, and more. A
spectrum of options is available, allowing legal professionals to pursue
opportunities in corporate, private, government, and international settings.
Lawyer Salaries
The BLS reports that the median annual wage for lawyers was about $126,930 in
2020, with the top 10 percent of earners taking home more than $208,000 per
year. Those working in state and local government tend to earn less while
lawyers specializing in financial and insurance law are in the top bracket.
Prospective lawyers considering where to practice law should also be aware
that in
25 states, the
annual salaries surpassed the national average. The District of Columbia
topped this list in 2020, with lawyers taking home $197,100. Below is a list
of the top ten paying states for lawyers in 2020, according to the BLS.
States
2020 Average Salary
California
$179,470
New York
$174,060
Massachusetts
$169,120
Connecticut
$158,190
Illinois
$153,720
Virginia
$151,970
New Jersey
$151,550
Colorado
$148,330
Texas
$142,730
Utah
$141,460
Use the map below to compare salary estimates for lawyers by state:
Did You Know?
According to the 2020
Robert Half International Salary Guide for the Legal Field, 87% of lawyers said
it’s challenging for their firm or company to find skilled legal professionals
today.
Exploring Law Degrees
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