{"id":18038,"date":"2022-07-23T13:21:25","date_gmt":"2022-07-23T17:21:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bau.edu\/blog\/?p=18038"},"modified":"2023-11-30T10:54:57","modified_gmt":"2023-11-30T15:54:57","slug":"become-a-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bau.edu\/blog\/become-a-lawyer\/","title":{"rendered":"Become a Lawyer: A Step-by-Step Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Becoming a lawyer is more than understanding the justice system\u2014it\u2019s about creating a safe and unbiased society. To become a lawyer, you need to endure many challenges, but you also need the guts to face them, as it\u2019s a <\/span>challenging career path<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Protecting your client\u2019s legal rights is one of the most satisfactory feelings as a lawyer. Once you pursue this profession, you must stick by it because the only way to survive is by practicing it with hard work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, learning about the responsibilities of a lawyer and what you need to become one can determine whether this is your career. After all, this job comes with many rewards, and we\u2019re not only speaking about money.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Do You Become a Lawyer?<\/b><\/h2>\n

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Becoming a lawyer requires good communication skills to help you debate and persuade others. Whether you\u2019re looking to specialize in a specific area of law, there are a few steps you need to take to become an attorney.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although, as a lawyer, you can choose to work both in the public and private sector, there are five fundamental steps you need to complete, plus a certain amount of academic skill.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 1: Complete an undergraduate degree<\/b><\/h3>\n

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An undergraduate degree is the minimum educational requirement to become a lawyer. Although law schools don\u2019t require you to study a specific subject, most need you to get a bachelor\u2019s degree<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Considering the importance of your undergraduate GPA, you need to focus on your coursework if you want to become a competitive candidate. For extra help, you can opt for courses to develop your writing, reading, research, public speaking, and logic skills. That said, some law schools prefer applicants who have taken such courses and have a high GPA.<\/span><\/p>\n

While there\u2019s no correct major to pursue in law school, common undergraduate majors may include English, journalism, political science<\/a>, business, economics<\/a>, and philosophy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 2: Take the admissions test<\/b><\/h3>\n

Following an undergraduate degree, <\/span>the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)<\/span><\/a> is another essential component of the admission process. This test is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and is required for any law school approved by the <\/span>American Bar Association (ABA)<\/span><\/a>. Your LSAT scores are used as an objective measure to determine your knowledge and quality as an applicant.<\/span><\/p>\n

The test takes half a day to complete and includes five multiple-choice question sections and a writing sample. The LSAT measures your skills in areas related to future legal work, such as reading comprehension, analysis, critical thinking, information management, argumentation, and reasoning.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the test doesn\u2019t necessarily measure how you will perform in law school, most schools rely heavily on these scores, similar to your GPA. So, if you don\u2019t have a high GPA but a high score on the LSAT, you\u2019re more likely to get accepted to law school.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also recommended that you spend at least three months studying for the LSAT, but if you think that your scores don\u2019t reflect your capacities, you can retake the test. However, most schools require that the LSAT be taken by December to be accepted in law school in the following fall semester. You can find more about the <\/span>LSAT locations and test dates here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 3: Apply to law schools<\/b><\/h3>\n

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Once you\u2019re done with the LSAT and you receive your scores, you can <\/span>start applying<\/span><\/a> to law schools. Most students apply to many law schools for better opportunities, so they have more options to choose from. Each application must have law entrance test scores, official transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other information. However, it\u2019s essential that you only consider law schools accredited by ABA.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, besides GPA, LSAT scores, and undergraduate coursework, there might be other factors that you need to consider before choosing which law school to apply to, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n