Wondering what it takes to become a lawyer?
Today I provide you with the eight steps to becoming a lawyer in the United States.
Hi, this is Professor Beau Baez.
The journey from high school to lawyer is a seven year process for most people.
I am going to walk you through the steps of becoming a lawyer,
but I am going to do so backwards.
This is because everything will make more sense if we start at the end of the journey,
rather than at the beginning.
Inward, outward, upward!
By making inward and outward changes,
you can propel yourself towards becoming a lawyer.
Eight, swearing in ceremony.
The final step in becoming a practicing lawyer requires reciting an oath in a court of law.
My oath was fairly simple, where I stated, I will do it again,
“I will honestly demean myself in the practice of law and
execute my office of attorney-at-law to the best of my ability.”
In many states this is a formal ceremony conducted by that state’s supreme court.
But in other states, going to a local judge and reciting the oath is enough.
The key is saying the appropriate oath before a judge.
Seven, character and fitness.
Not everyone who graduates from law school will practice law.
This is because each state bar determines if an applicant possesses the character needed
to practice law.
For example, most people that have committed felonies will have a difficult, if not impossible,
time becoming a lawyer.
A former student of mine was convicted of murder when he was 18 years old and
high on drugs.
But by the time he came to law school he was a different person.
Keep in mind that it’s not just felonies that can keep you from practicing law.
As part of your bar application, the state bar will require you to provide information
on every crime and arrest, even if it was expunged from your record.
They also want to know about all disciplinary matters in college and law school.
And let’s not forget telling them about all your traffic offenses.
The key is to fully disclose everything as that demonstrates your current character.
By the way, if you do have a felony conviction, it might be worth hiring a lawyer who specializes
in this area and get their advice, to see if law school is for you.
Six, bar exam.
Within two months of graduation from law school, there is this bar exam.
This is a two or three day test, depending on the state.
In some states, 40% of all first-time takers fail the exam.
I’m not going to lie to you—it’s a tough exam.
I began preparing for the bar exam during my last semester of law school.
Even with all that preparation, I still felt like I flunked it.
After the exam I went back to my car with my buddy and I cried like a baby.
I believed I failed.
I ended up passing the first time, but it was a brutal process.
Five, law school.
You need to earn a JD, which stands for Juris Doctor.
Most law students earn their JD in three years, though some can do it in two years and others
part-time in four or five years.
When you start school you quickly realize
there are a lot of smart people in your class.
Everyone in my class had top LSAT scores and undergraduate GPAs.
During law school orientation, the law school Dean told us to look to the left, look to the right,
and only one of us would be getting an A in each class.
We were all shocked because we were used to getting top grades in college.
Few people get A’s in law school.
Four, admissions process.
Each law school has a limited number of seats for their incoming class.
The primary factors that law schools look at are undergraduate GPA
and a standardized test score.
Yes, they're going to look at other factors, which are called “softs.”
These include your personal statement, extracurricular activities, personal references, and the like.
But don’t expect the softs, like a letter from a US Senator or some volunteer work,
to make up for a low GPA or LSAT score.
Generally, softs are much more important at the elite law schools, where they can choose between
equally talented top applicants.
If your scores are high enough you'll have some options, like attending a top law school
and paying their high tuition.
Or two, attending a lower ranked law school and getting a full scholarship.
Both paths have some pros and cons.
Three, standardized test score.
The primary standardized score used in law school admissions is the LSAT, which stands
for Law School Admission Test.
Though today, more law schools are also taking the GRE as an alternative to the LSAT.
When you are ready to apply to law school, you sign up with an organization called LSAC,
which administers the LSAT and also acts as a repository for all standardized materials
used in the law school admissions process.
You will send LSAC all your undergraduate transcripts, which they will then collate
and create a unified GPA, which is used by all law schools.
Most law schools will not require much more than the LSAC report in making an admissions
decision on your application.
Two, college degree.
To enter law school you need a bachelors degree.
The college you attend and major don’t matter very much, though graduating from an
elite college still helps in the law school admissions process.
If you know you are going to law school and that college is just a means to that end,
then find a major that allows you to earn A’s.
That's exactly what I did.
I decided to major in speech communications, and earned almost all A’s.
That high GPA, along with a good LSAT score got me into an elite law school.
One, high school diploma or GED.
To enter into college you either need a high school diploma or a passing GED score.
Keep in mind that law school admissions departments aren’t going to look at your high school grades or
disciplinary record, unless it resulted in an arrest by the police.
In other words, college gives you a fresh start.
Work hard and you can become a lawyer.
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