Becoming a lawyer generally takes about four years of college and then three years of law school for a total of seven years of study. Although a bachelor’s degree is usually required to enter law school, a specific major is not required, although those studying things like English, public speaking, government, economics, history, and mathematics will find these subjects very useful. More than that, students applying to law school will generally be required to take the law school admissions test, which measures a student’s aptitude to study law. Competition is extremely high to get into the most prestigious law schools, such as Harvard or Yale.
Once entering law schools, the law student will typically study such things as contracts, constitutional law, property law, legal writing, and civil procedure. They will then choose to specialize in one section of the law, such as marriage law, which would help them become divorce attorneys. While at school, they will often be able to gain hands-on experience by participating in different legal clinics, moot court competitions, and in different practice trials, which are usually supervised by experienced lawyers and judges. Often they can also gain experience writing and researching for school law journals. Another way students can gain experience is through part-time or summer jobs at law firms. This can help them decide what they would like to major in during school. For example, if a student was thinking of becoming a divorce lawyer, she might try working or interning at a divorce law firm. Being able to work closely with a divorce lawyer would help them see the day-to-day tasks of this type of lawyer and hopefully allow them to find out if this type of law is the place for them.
Once a student graduates, they will be required to take the bar exams. Only if they pass and are admitted to the bar can they actually practice law. Requirements vary from state to state, and often if a lawyer wants to practice and be licensed in more than one state, she will need to take different bar exams. More than that, to continue practicing law, most states require a lawyer to have continuing education every one to three years. The reason for this is that laws are constantly changing, being created or erased. Therefore, lawyers must keep abreast of developments in order to accurately advise and represent their clients. Many law schools and colleges offer these continuing education courses, which help lawyers keep up with developments in the law. These courses often review things like the practice of law, legal ethics, taxes, tax fraud, and advances in health care. In some states, attorneys can take these courses online instead of attending an in-person class, which can help them manage their probably very busy schedule. Keeping up with the different changes is very important, and if an attorney does not continue her education, she could be disbarred.
