To become a lawyer in the United States you will need to graduate from a four year of college and then attend three years of law school, then pass the Bar exam.
Types of Lawyers
Officially? Two. Criminal and civil. But lawyers specialize, and there really lots.
Taken alphabetically, here are some of the types:
- Civil rights
- Commercial
- Constitutional
- Contract
- Environmental
- Estate
- Family
- Health
- Immigration
- Intellectual Patent
- Property
- Personal injury
- Tax and wills lawyers
There probably are more but those come to mind. Criminal lawyers are probably the most high profile, though not necessarily earn the most. Lawyers who work for big multinational companies in their legal departments can earn much more than criminal lawyers.
Educational Requirements
A bachelors degree from a college or university. Major does not matter much, but grades do. The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is required then to determine if you are suited for law school. It is a half day multiple choice and essay test and is vitally important to getting into law school.
Law school is where you will really learn the facets of being a lawyer both from a theoretical and practical perspective. Law schools are fiercely competitive and require students to achieve high scores. Of course, you will know what marks you require. If you’ve done well in your degree then there is no reason why you should not achieve the required marks, provided you prepare well, of course.
Exam Preparation
You can buy self study aids, take practice tests, and there are also LSAT courses available to prepare. After graduating from law cool, you STILL have to take another test, the Bar exam.
Salary
$150 an hour is not an uncommon rate for attorneys to charge, but private practice lawyers in small markets average less than $50K a year in the beginning of their careers. In medium size cities salaries will range from $70,000 to $100,000, and in a major market like NYC or LA, $150,000-$200,000 is not uncommon. US government attorneys typically make less than 100 grand a year. There are lawyers who can earn even more than that of course. Big shot lawyers who have made a name for themselves in high profile cases can be much sought after and therefore see their potential earnings sky rocket as a result. We have seen famous lawyers who represent famous people in very profile cases. These lawyers, though few in number, the monetary rewards for them can be astonishing.
Work Schedule
While a courtroom lawyer’s life seems easy with long lunches, many dedicated lawyers put in long nights, especially during a trial, even government lawyers. It’s not a 9 to 5 job by any stretch if you are dedicated and fiercely competitive.
Getting Started
If you know right off the bat as an undergrad you can major in a law related field, but if you decide after getting your bachelors degree it largely depends on getting into law school based on your college grade point average and your LSAT score. Then, after graduation from law school, study for and pass the bar exam for the state in which you will practice. And even that is not enough. The last part is passing a character and fitness evaluation. This is a background check that looks for things like whether or not you have a criminal record, traffic tickets, they check your credit report, whether or not you may have or have had substance abuse problems, and even delve into your medical records.
It can be a grueling process and you need to decide if you are cut out to be a lawyer. A stated above, there are many types of law that can be practiced and you may find one that is suited to you, but it is hard work and a long time to get there, but can be both a financially and emotionally very fulfilling career.
