If you are an expert in negotiating and enjoy communicating with others, then you can consider a career in law. But you might be having some questions like how many years does it take, how hard to become a lawyer? Well, we are here to answer all your questions. If you are considering becoming a lawyer. This blog is perfect for you, we will be explaining in 5 steps how to get a law degree?
How to Become a Lawyer?
If you want to become a lawyer, here are simple 5 steps to become a lawyer, get a law degree and start practicing.
Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Having a bachelor’s degree is the basic education required to be a lawyer. If you want to apply for law school, it is important to have a bachelor’s degree. Law schools usually accept students with a wide range of bachelor’s degrees. However, the most common and helpful bachelor’s degrees to becoming an attorney are majoring in criminal justice, English, economics, philosophy and political science.
Take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
After you get your bachelor’s degree, the next step is to take the LSAT. It is an important test if you want to be a lawyer. The compromise of five multiple-choice sections. These questions usually cover topics such as reading comprehension, critical thinking, and argumentation. All these sections are supposed to be completed in 35 minutes.
The admission officers of law school review your LSAT score and your education history, including your undergraduate and high school history. This is to determine if you are a good fit for the law school and program that they are offering.
Usually, law students take the LSAT at the end of their junior year this gives them time to prepare and submit law school applications.
Apply to Law School
If you are still wondering how to become an attorney after passing the LSAT. Well, you will have to start applying to different law schools and take the bar exam. It usually takes three years to complete law school and obtain your law degree, aka Juris Doctorate (JD).
All law schools generally cover some of the core areas of the legal profession in the first year that include areas such as civil procedure, criminal law, property law, and contracts. During this year, law students learn how to conduct legal research and do legal writing. In the middle of the third year, they have to decide which course they want to take for specialization and what type of practice they want to do, such as real estate law, healthcare law, bankruptcy law, corporate law, tax law and more.
Earn a Juris Doctor degree
For becoming an attorney you will have to earn a Juris Doctor Degree. It takes an average of three years to complete a doctorate in law. But the curriculum and guidelines for graduation for each law school can differ. In the beginning of the law school, students usually learn the basics and take up general coursework. But during the final year, you can usually take elective courses to start focusing on a specific area of law.
Pass the bar examination
The last step in your journey of becoming an attorney is to pass the bar exam. Sitting and passing the bar exam is a must before you start practicing law in the state. Bar exams can be difficult, but it is the path to becoming a lawyer and get a license. Depending on the state you want to practice in, the time for the bar exams can vary; it may take two or three days. Also, it is important to keep in mind that bar exams usually happen only twice a year.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Lawyer?
To become a lawyer, it typically involves several stages, education, and training. It can take around almost eight years in total. Here’s a breakdown of the process:
Bachelor’s Degree (4 years): The first step to becoming a lawyer is getting your bachelor’s degree. It usually takes around 4 years to complete that. Law students don’t require any specific major for law school, but the most common degrees that students opt for are history, political science, English, and philosophy.
Law School (3 years): After earning your bachelor’s degree, the next step is to attend a law school, and completing a law school takes up to 3 years. For admission into law school, you will be required to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
Bar Exam (a few months to study and pass): After graduating from law school, you will need to pass the bar exam in the state where you want to practice. The bar exam usually lasts two to three days, but it can take several months for preparation.
Additional Requirements (varies): There are a few additional requirements, that include character and fitness review, and completion of a professional responsibility exam.
So if you are still wondering how many years does it take to become a lawyer, the answer is a minimum of 8 to 8.5 years.
A Final Word on Becoming a Lawyer
Becoming a lawyer is a long and arduous journey, but can be quite rewarding. If you are ready to put in all the hard work and have patience, you can become an amazing lawyer one day. The journey might seem long, but it will end before you will even realize. So create your education plan, get your bachelor’s degree, take LSAT, get admission to law school, pass a bar exam, and become the best lawyer you know.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, if you want to become a lawyer, it is important to go to law school. A law school can provide you with the top-notch education that you require for becoming a lawyer. It will shape you for the legal world and will play a major part in your journey to become a lawyer.
Becoming a lawyer is a long journey, but the time span can vary depending on the country, state, and type of law. But as mentioned above, it can take somewhere between 7-8 years to become a lawyer.
To become a lawyer, you will need a bachelor’s degree in law and a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree. These two degrees are necessary to become a lawyer. Alongside this, you will have to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and sit for the bar exam.