What Is Needed to Become a Lawyer?
Lawyers are doctoral-level professionals who represent clients in court, provide binding legal advice, and prepare and review contracts and other legal documents. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for lawyers was $102,470 per year in May 2006.
Undergraduate Education
Before beginning law school, prospective lawyers must complete a bachelor's degree. There is no specific undergraduate major required to become a lawyer, but prospective law students should take coursework that focuses on critical thinking, analysis, writing and communications.
LSAT
As part of the law school admissions process, applicants must take the Law School Admission Test, or LSAT, which measures the reading comprehension, logical reasoning and analytical reasoning skills.
Law School
Law school programs take three years of full-time study, including course work in civil procedure, contracts, torts, Constitutional law, criminal law and property.
Bar Examination
Before law school graduates may work as an attorney, they must bass their state's bar examination, which tests their knowledge of the law and the ethical principles that govern the profession.
Background Check
As part of the licensing process, law school graduates will need to complete a criminal background check, obtain character references and disclose information about any civil lawsuits in which they have been involved.
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