Law school typically lasts for three years and results in a J.D. degree. You begin law school by taking courses in constitutional law, property law, legal writing, contracts and torts. You then take elective courses based on your interests, such as corporate law, tax law or labor law.
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Although the career comes with a lucrative salary, becoming a lawyer can be a strenuous process. You must make it through three rigorous years of school, as well as two exams: the LSAT, to be accepted in law school, and the bar exam β an examination you must pass to become a licensed attorney.
Becoming a lawyer is not the only career path available to those interested in this area of work. A diverse, wide-ranging industry, legal services offers prospective students a wealth of career opportunities that diverge from the actual practice of law. What do related careers pay?
The American Bar Association (ABA) does not currently recommend any particular discipline to prepare students for advanced legal/law education. According to the ABA, students from nearly every educational discipline are admitted to law schools, ranging from English to history, political science to business.
These accelerated programs allow a college student to complete a law degree in six years instead of seven. For example, the University of Iowa College of Law accepts applications from college juniors attending partner colleges and universities around the state that offer pre-law programs.
Highly motivated students seeking to save time and money pursuing a career in law may wish to consider completing their bachelorβs degree in three years by taking a heavy course load each semester and attending summer sessions. Schools such as Lynn University offer an accelerated bachelorβs degree program specifically designed for students seeking to graduate in three years. Students at Lynn University work with an adviser to develop a plan of study.
The law school curriculum is rigorous and generally involves three years of study because law is a complicated field. The first year entails required foundational courses. For example, the first-year curriculum at the University of Washington School of Law covers legal research and writing, criminal law, civil procedure, property, ...
The highest average salaries were earned by lawyers representing the cable and subscriber programming sector, who made β $224,970 β per year. Lawyers working in motion pictures and video industries averaged β $216,800 β per year. Thirdly, lawyers representing bridge and highway construction companies annually earned β $215,850 β. Lawyers in the San Jose metropolitan area and in Washington, D.C., earned the highest average lawyer salary in the country at β $192,180 β and β $218,420 β per year.
Admission to law school is a competitive process that starts with submission of an online law school application, college transcripts and Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores. Undergraduate GPA and LSAT results are key determinants in who gets in, but letters of recommendation, a resume and personal statement are also considered when wading through applications.
As advocates for individual or corporate clients, attorneys develop strategies to protect the rights of their clients. Many appear in court to argue cases before a judge or jury. The legal profession is broad, leading to many specializations.
Attorneys, or lawyers, are highly trained experts in jurisprudence. They defend the constitution and protect the rights of their clients in court. Although there are different types of legal specialists, most attorneys engage in legal research, interpret laws, review cases, establish facts, draw up documents and file briefs with the court.
Apprentices typically spend three years working in a law office while studying their law books at night and taking exams for the state bar. However, only the states of California, Washington, Virginia and Vermont allow apprentices to sit for the bar exam. Other states require attendance at an ABA-approved law school.