What to Major in to Become a Lawyer
- History. Examining how the past has helped to shape and define our present—here in the United States and around the world—will help you put into context our current justice system ...
- English. Having a strong command of written and verbal skills will take you far as an attorney whether you're writing, researching or speaking in court.
- Philosophy. Philosophy majors delve deep into the study of logic, ethics, and morality—areas of thought that also happen to be the cornerstones of law.
- Political Science. Of all majors, this may be the closest to a "law school" curriculum as you can get. ...
- Economics. Not only are economics majors trained to think logically and analytically, but economic policies and procedures, as well as how resources are distributed and managed, are topics closely connected ...
- Business. General business knowledge can be applied in almost any industry, and that holds true for aspiring attorneys as well.
- General Tips. Consider majoring in a discipline that is related to the type of law you want to practice. ...
Full Answer
What education and training is required to become a lawyer?
Jan 18, 2022 · How to become a lawyer 1. Earn a bachelor's degree. You'll need to have a bachelor's degree to apply for law school. Law schools accept... 2. Take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). After earning your bachelor's degree, your next step is to take the LSAT. 3. Apply to law school. Once you've ...
What are the best majors for lawyers?
Jun 20, 2016 · 1. Bachelor's Degree Anyone who wants to pursue a law degree must first complete a bachelor's degree program (or its equivalent). The type of undergraduate degree is less important, but often reflects the practice area considered. For example, someone who wants to go into patent law might first pursue a bachelor's degree in engineering.
What degree do you need to be a lawyer?
What Is a Lawyer? Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree. You need to earn a bachelor's degree in order to get into law school. There are no... Step 2: Take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). LSAT scores are required to be submitted along with your law school... Step 3: …
What are the professional requirements for becoming a lawyer?
Feb 08, 2020 · You have to major in an academic subject, such as Political Science, Math, Philosophy, and so on. Unlike premed, there are no prerequisite courses you must take in order to be considered for law school.
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What are the majors in law school?
However, some of the most common undergraduate majors include criminal justice, English, economics, philosophy and political science. Spend your undergraduate time taking classes related to the area of law you think you would like to practice.
How much does a lawyer make?
Average lawyer salary. The average salary for a lawyer in the United States is $70,336 per year, though some salaries range from $14,000 to $201,000 per year. Salaries may depend on experience level, field of legal practice and a lawyer's location.
What do lawyers do?
Lawyers help individuals or businesses throughout legal processes. They prepare legal documents, build cases, attend hearings and try cases. Additional duties include working with legal and criminal justice professionals, taking depositions, settling cases and sending legal correspondence. They often specialize in different types of law, such as tax or family law. Lawyers work in a wide range of fields, such as: 1 Real estate 2 Business 3 Criminal justice 4 Healthcare 5 Politics
What is the next step after a bachelor's degree?
After earning your bachelor's degree, your next step is to take the LSAT. It consists of five multiple-choice sections that cover topics such as reading comprehension, critical thinking and argumentation. It is administered at a testing location on a specific date through electronic tablets.
How many sections are there in the LSAT?
There are five 35-minute sections that you need to complete. After the exam, you will also need to complete a written portion of the exam, which you can submit online from home. Law school admissions officers will review your LSAT scores and undergraduate history to determine if you would be a good fit for the program.
What are the skills required for an English major?
In this light, the critical thinking skills required of English majors mirror the skills required by law students.
What is legal studies?
Legal studies focus on topics that are rooted in economic analysis—torts, contracts, property rights, antitrust, business organizations, and regulations. In short, a study of economics is a study in the financial impact of the law. Because of this, economics is a great area of specialization for many potential law students because it remains ...
What is the LSAT test?
The LSAT tests for critical thinking skills rather than subject matter expertise. Law schools look for candidates with abstract thinking skills, the ability to interpret written texts, and high reading comprehension. They want candidates that have fine reasoning abilities, the ability to think logically. Notice how all majors have students that ...
What is political science?
Political science is the study of government systems, political behavior, and how the judicial system works. This is where a political science degree shows its advantage in law school. Students in this field often have a better understanding of how laws are created and executed as well as the history behind them.
Is philosophy a good major?
The granddaddy of all mind-stretching mental exercises, philosophy is a fantastic major that builds a student’s ability to think critically and argue. Law is heavily based on philosophical elements like ethics, and human nature—subjects that are commonly taught in a philosophy major. Philosophy is a difficult major. It requires students to think analytically and form logical arguments. It also examines moral, political, and legal issues with no clear right or wrong while asking students to render judgment. Because of the difficulty level, some law schools may look more favorably at a degree in philosophy than a degree in a field like Criminal Justice.
What majors are challenging?
An ecology major might take up residence in environmental law. Science majors are challenging and require students to learn complex subject matter, analyze data, and arrive at provable conclusions.
What is psychology major?
Through the psychology major’s coursework, students develop a solid understanding of how people can make correct or incorrect judgments that can lead to things like stereotyping, prejudice, or discrimination. Psychology courses also teach students how to network and prepare for negotiations.
What are the skills needed to become a lawyer?
Some of the skills needed include: Analytical and interpersonal skills.
Do lawyers need continuing education?
At least 46 states require lawyers to participate in continuing education courses to maintain their professional license to practice, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some states require lawyers to pass ethics exams as well. If you relocate, you may be required to complete further education. If you move from one state to another, you need to take the bar exam in your new state. Some states do allow reciprocity, provided you meet their requirements in experience and moral character.
What is the legal oath required for a lawyer?
Prospective attorneys must take a legally binding oath that they will uphold the codes and the Constitution of the United States, as well as the laws and constitution of the licensing state.
How long is the bar exam?
Most bar exams take roughly 18 hours and are spread over three days, and are administered twice a year. The exam includes standardized questions and essays on a variety of areas of law used to assess an individual's understanding of the law and capacity for logical thought. 4. Character and Fitness Review.
What is character and fitness review?
Character and Fitness Review. Since the practice of law is such a high stakes endeavor, involving the finances and in some cases the freedom of clients, each state bar requires applicants to undergo moral character and fitness reviews.
What does it mean to be a lawyer?
As a lawyer, you may represent clients in court, or you may offer legal advice regarding personal and business affairs. Either way, your job involves researching laws and judicial decisions that you can apply to a client's particular situation. You may choose to specialize in a particular type of law, such as environmental, intellectual property, ...
What do lawyers do?
Lawyers will consult with clients and provide legal advice on how to address their issues. They may prepare filings for court, represent their client in a mediation or court proceeding, or other negotiations.
How many sections are there in the LSAT?
The LSAC test is administered in a multiple-choice format and is given in five sections ( www.lsac.org ). If you take the LSAT and feel that your scores do not reflect your ability, you may choose to retake the test.
What is a clerkship in law?
Clerkships allow you to gain experience by working in a law firm, corporate office or government agency. For some, a clerkship can lead to an employment offer following graduation from law school.
What degree do paralegals need?
Paralegals and legal assistants need an associate's degree, and typically work in law offices. They assist lawyers by preparing documents and information related to the cases they're working on. Judges and hearing officers are responsible or hearing the arguments of both sides in a case or dispute.
What is the LSAT test?
This test is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and is used to assess your reading, comprehension, reasoning and critical thinking skills.
What does "pre-law" mean?
When people say “pre-law,” they simply mean that they approached college with the plan that, after graduating, they would one day apply to law school. While there is no pre-law major or set of required classes, you can still prepare for law school while in college. Here are just a few ways you can do that:
Is there a law school major?
Beyond taking these steps, there is no single best major for law school. You can major in absolutely anything and apply to law school. However, there are schools and programs that do a better job of preparing you for graduate study.
Is it easy to get into law school?
Graduates go on to be judges, prosecutors, professors, legislators, mediators, and so much more. But getting into law school is no easy matter.
Where does Veronica live?
in History and Classics. After graduating, she joined CollegeVine serving as the Curriculum Development Manager. She currently lives in Cambridge, MA and is writing her debut novel.
What is the first step to becoming a lawyer?
Lawyer Education. A bachelors degree will be your first step. There are pre-law degrees along with online legal studies programs. Or view ABA accredited universities. The State Bar Exam. The bar exam is the next step to become a lawyer. The state bar exam will determine whether a person is qualified to practice law in a geographic jurisdiction.
How much do lawyers make in a year?
As of May 2019, lawyers in the United States averaged $122,960 per year. However, this comfortable salary does not come easily. Becoming a lawyer in any jurisdiction requires years of undergraduate and graduate education, passing challenging examinations, and maintaining licensure through continuing education.
What majors are required for law school?
However, the ABA suggests certain undergraduate majors over others, such as English, history, political science, philosophy, business, or economics.
History
Examining how the past has helped to shape and define our present—here in the United States and around the world—will help you put into context our current justice system and laws. From a practical standpoint, history majors are also tasked with lots of research and writing and must learn to draw conclusions base…
English
- Having a strong command of written and verbal skills will take you far as an attorney whether you're writing, researching or speaking in court. Analyzing great works of literature and historical texts from various cultures and time periods is great practice for the hours you'll spend in the law library.
Philosophy
- Philosophy majors delve deep into the study of logic, ethics, and morality—areas of thought that also happen to be the cornerstones of law. You'll debate with classmates, present arguments and do a lot of research to support your case, which is not all that different from what lawyers do to prepare for court.
Political Science
- Of all majors, this may be the closest to a "law school" curriculum as you can get. In this major, you'll study political systems, public policy, international relations and the relationship between government, the law, and individual rights, among other things. You're required to analyze various written documents and data sets (think ancient texts to social media posts) and will learn to thin…
Business
- General business knowledge can be applied in almost any industry, and that holds true for aspiring attorneys as well. A business major is a good option for those who plan to go into corporate law. That said, be sure to supplement business fundamentals with humanities and liberal arts electives so you can train your analytical and critical thinking muscles, as well as pra…
General Tips
- Consider majoring in a discipline that is related to the type of law you want to practice. Since you don't have to declare a specialty during law school, building a background as an undergraduate i...
- Choose a major or take electives that are heavy on research and writing. As mentioned earlier, those are the critical skills that will help you most in law school.
- Consider majoring in a discipline that is related to the type of law you want to practice. Since you don't have to declare a specialty during law school, building a background as an undergraduate i...
- Choose a major or take electives that are heavy on research and writing. As mentioned earlier, those are the critical skills that will help you most in law school.
- Whichever academic route you take, maintaining a strong GPA is essential if you aim to attend a selective law school program.
Political Science
Average LSAT Score: 153.8 Average GPA: 3.39 The most popular major of law school candidates is political science. There’s a reason why many successful politicians are lawyers—the link between law and political theory is very strong. Political science is the study of government systems, political behavior, and how t…
Psychology
- Average LSAT Score: 152.59 Average GPA: 3.35 Want to understand why people think, believe, and act the way they do? Psychology is the study of human behavior and the mental processes that fuel how people interact with each other and the world around them. Since the law is a system designed to govern human behavior, psychology can help lawmakers understand what ki…
Criminal Justice
- Average LSAT Score: 145.90 Average GPA: 3.22 Criminal justice is a natural fit for law school since coursework focuses on criminal justice topics. These programs often include courses on court proceedings, the correction systems, and many other aspects of the legal system. Criminal justice degrees emphasize strong research, analysis, and writing skills which are a necessity in l…
English
- Average LSAT Score: 155.25 Average GPA: 3.42 The English major is a very popular major for law school because of its immediately obvious benefits: advanced reading comprehension and persuasive writing skills. Students of the English major study dense and complex literature and are then required to process the information, make connections and creat...
History
- Average LSAT Score: 156.22 Average GPA: 3.45 A significant part of being a lawyer is understanding past precedent on different legal cases in the past. Is it any surprise then that history is a great major for law students? History studentsnot only study the events of the past, but also study the way different legal systems have evolved, court rulings, treaties, and other leg…
Economics
- Average LSAT Score: 158.93 Average GPA: 3.47 Economics is a topic that has drastically altered the shape of the law. This is because many laws are enacted to adjust and correct economic behavior by businesses and individuals in the marketplace. Legal studies focus on topics that are rooted in economic analysis—torts, contracts, property rights, antitrust, business organizations, …
Philosophy
- Average LSAT Score: 157.53 Average GPA: 3.43 The granddaddy of all mind-stretching mental exercises, philosophy is a fantastic major that builds a student’s ability to think critically and argue. Law is heavily based on philosophical elements like ethics, and human nature—subjects that are commonly taught in a philosophy major. Philosophy is a difficult major. It requires stude…
Sociology
- Average LSAT Score: 150.71 Average GPA: 3.29 Sociology is a great major for potential law students because it studies the big picture of society. It looks at the social issues we face in our society like poverty, economic justice, racial discrimination, and LGBT rights. Sociology looks at the way the law can help, and how to develop solutions to fight inequality. In this light, sociology …
Communications
- Average LSAT Score: 151.2 Average GPA: 3.32 Students with a passion for writing, public speaking, or negotiation often gravitate to the communications major. This major focuses on team building, organizational communication, and conflict management as well as developing critical thinking skills. These are all transferable skills when it comes to transitioning into law stu…
Science
- Average LSAT Score: 148.4 Average GPA: 3.21 When it comes to college admissions, the name of the game is usually to stand out from among your peers. There is no better way to stand out from the pack of law school applicants than with a science degree. While the degree may seem completely irrelevant to law, different areas of scientific study lend themselves well to specialize…
Pre-Law Studies
- Before you go to law school, you'll need a bachelor's degree. Law school applicants aren't required to have any particular major for undergraduate education. In fact, the American Bar Association (ABA) encourages students to study any subject they find fascinating and challenging. The ABA also provides advice on the types of classes that will help ...
Getting Into Law School
- After you get your bachelor's degree, you'll need to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) before you can be admitted to a school approved by the ABA. This test is a half-day exam that has five sections of multiple-choice questions. The questions measure your abilities in logic, reading and analytics. Once the multiple choice questions are completed, you'll complete a writing samp…
Law School
- Once you get to law school, you'll generally spend three years working towards your J.D. Regardless of your law concentration, you'll spend your first year working on foundational courses, such as those on constitutional and contract law, legal writing and civil court procedure. After that you'll focus on your specialization, which may include one of the following: 1. Civil rights 2. Admi…
Experience and Skill Development
- In addition to a classroom education, you may want to get experience through part-time employment at a legal office. You can also take advantage of opportunities to do legal writing, and participate in trial situations offered by the law school. Educational and practical experience may help you to develop skills that are critical for lawyers. Some of the skills needed include: 1. …
Continuing Education
- At least 46 states require lawyers to participate in continuing education courses to maintain their professional license to practice, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some states require lawyers to pass ethics exams as well. If you relocate, you may be required to complete further education. If you move from one state to another, you need to take the bar exam in your …
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