How to Become Series: Lawyer

The first in our new series 'How to Become' we are looking at a career in law; how to become a lawyer. This series looks at the work and education needed to become a professional within the occupational industry under discussion.

Skills and Education

All lawyers must have a JD law degree from a college or university that is recognized by the American Bar Association. There are more than 650,000 attorneys in the US and with thousands of law firms, there are always plenty of opportunity to find a great firm. If you are considering this profession, and are currently looking at law schools, keep in mind that with this profession, what school you graduate from does matter - especially if you want to start off earning $100k+ and want to be well received into a prestigious law firm.

Obtaining a law degree will take 7 years of your time following high school; 4 years of undergraduate study and 3 years of law school. You cannot gain entrance to a law school without a bachelor's degree. If you are currently in high school and wondering what courses you should consider taking in your undergraduate degree to increase your odds of getting into a prestigious law school, consider the following: English, public speaking, government, philosophy, history, economics, mathematics, and computer science.

Also keep in mind that during your 3 years in law school, you will be expected to spend your summers as an intern in a law office or clerking in a judge's office.

If you are a new attorney or currently in law school, write to me and share your experiences with others who may be considering law as a profession..

After Graduation - Passing the Tests

To practice law in any state in the United States, you must be licenses by the state you want to work in. This entails writing and passing the bar exam. Many states also require you to pass a 2nd written Ethics exam.

To be eligible to sit for the bar exam, you must complete your JD degree and graduate. There is no nationwide bar examination. Additionally, in many states you must write and pass an MPT (multi-state performance testing) Exam which tests the practical skills of novice lawyers. The MPT and Bar Examination are one time tests, and in most states can be taken at the same time.

Upon successfully passing the bar examination, you will be legally permitted to practice as a lawyer and joining a private law firm, distinct attorneys office or go into private practice.

Expected Work and Pay

Hours - The average lawyer works 55-65 hours a week. For new lawyers, as the low man on the associate ladder, this could be as high as 70 hours a week for the first few years.

Salary - The average national salary is $88,000. However, in certain cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington, DC the salaries for junior associates are in the $125k range.

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