A law career is definitely not for everyone, as it requires strong analytical and critical thinking skills and the ability to manage stress successfully. However, taking this path can be incredibly rewarding if you’re seeking an intellectually challenging profession and want to advocate for other people. This article will guide you through the process of pursuing a law career to help you decide whether you’re willing to commit yourself to it fully. Read on!
What are the steps to pursuing a law career?
If you’re daydreaming about the day when you’ll fight against injustice, you should know that getting there is not simple! It involves many steps, and you’ll have to work hard until you become a respected legal professional. Here is how you can get into law school:
Do your homework about the career prospects
Glamorous television portrayals have given rise to many misconceptions about what it means to be a lawyer. But things look pretty different in reality, so before pursuing a degree in the legal field, you should first understand what this profession involves. Law school requires motivation and commitment due to the extensive coursework. Moreover, as a lawyer, you won’t just spend time in court – in fact, most of the time, you’ll have to read, research and write complex documents. That being said, you must think of why you want to become a legal professional and research what it truly implies to determine whether it is right for you.
Get a bachelor’s degree
So, you’ve decided that becoming a lawyer is the best career prospect – you simply don’t see yourself doing anything else. That’s wonderful, but to get there, you must first complete your bachelor’s degree with a high grade. Law school takes four years at least, and the degree you choose isn’t that important – all that matters is to focus on getting a high GPA and participate in extracurriculars because they will help you stand out from other candidates.
Pass the LSAT
The LSAT, or the Law School Admission Test, is a crucial part of the application process, which costs $500. You need a high score, as this metric will determine whether you’ll get admitted into law school. This is why students start preparing for the exam early (usually a year in advance). While some individuals choose to study on their own, others seek help from a private tutor or take an LSAT course. There’s no such thing as the right approach – it depends on every student’s learning type. So, regardless of your chosen study method, what matters is to do your best to ensure that you’ll ultimately pass the admission test.
Write a powerful personal statement
The personal statement is a critical requirement when applying to law school, so make sure to pay attention to it carefully and do your best to highlight aspects of your personality as much as possible. Mention your career goals and other relevant aspects, such as academic achievements.
Ask for a recommendation letter
A recommendation letter is generally required for the admission process. You can obtain it from an undergraduate professor or an employer that could confirm you have a well-balanced school and work life.
Apply to several law schools
Don’t only stick to a law school; instead, pick at least five options to boost your chances of being admitted. When choosing the law schools, consider factors like the total cost, location, and career goals.
The different legal career paths you can choose from
Prospective attorneys can choose among different types of law, such as:
Criminal defence
As a criminal defence attorney, your job will mainly imply going to trial to defend individuals accused of a crime. Your practice can be private, or you can work for the government or at the federal public defender’s office. Some of your responsibilities include interviewing witnesses and clients, gathering evidence to support the case and carefully studying all the facts.
Personal injury
If you choose to become a personal injury lawyer, you’ll have to deal with cases like medical practice, motor vehicle accidents, product liability, etc. In other words, you’ll provide services to individuals who have suffered physical or mental injuries due to someone else’s negligence. For instance, you can support employees involved in an occupational accident. Please visit https://www.accidentclaims.co.uk/accident-at-work-claim to understand what an accident claim implies and how you can help victims get the compensation they deserve.
Divorce and family law
While the help of a lawyer isn’t always necessary when getting divorced, some cases are more complicated, thus requiring the assistance of a legal professional. As a family law lawyer, you can specialise in divorce or choose other family law areas like negotiations over alimony or child custody disputes.
Real estate
Your work as a real estate lawyer will mainly imply transferring property from sellers to buyers, ensuring a smooth process. This involves dealing with all aspects, including evictions, handling mortgages, and purchase agreements. If there’s a dispute that a buyer and seller must settle, you may also have to go to court.
Civil litigation
Civil litigation includes different law areas (personal injury, intellectual property disputes, product liability, divorce, etc.), except for criminal defence. As a civil litigation attorney, you may have to interview clients, draft claims and formal complaints, and conduct depositions. Other tasks may involve developing an effective trial strategy (like mediation and negotiation) for all the cases you’ll deal with. Sometimes, you may also have to take a case to court, your duties involving investigation, settlements and appeals, court appearances, etc.
Immigration
Immigration is among the most complex law areas, but at the same time, it can be very rewarding. Essentially, as an immigration lawyer, you have to offer assistance to clients in navigating the immigration process and understanding the rules and barriers involved. Sometimes, individuals may need the support of an immigration lawyer but may not be able to afford to hire one. In such situations, besides their usual practice area, some legal professionals may choose to provide a pro bono service for immigration.
The bottom line
A law career is indeed lucrative, but at the same time, it can be genuinely challenging and requires some specific skills. However, if you choose this path, you likely won’t regret it because, despite the hard work it requires, it has many benefits, including significant earning potential and the opportunity to help others.
