Meta Description/Summary : In this article we answer the following questions: 1º What subjects do you need to study to become a lawyer? 2º What is the difference between a lawyer and an advocate?
In other words, what school subjects are needed to become a lawyer. According to the website of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), to become a lawyer, one needs to earn a bachelor’s degree prior to earning a degree at an accredited law school it is also useful to take “courses in English, public speaking, government, history, economics, and mathematics.”
Let’s first discuss what education is needed to become a criminal lawyer. According to the BLS’ website, “Most states and jurisdictions require lawyers to complete a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). A typical J.D. degree “includes courses such as constitutional law, contracts, property law, civil procedure, and legal writing.” As part of law school studies, a law student can focus on criminal law to become a criminal defense lawyer.
The BLS’ website states that, “Becoming a lawyer usually takes 7 years of full-time study after high school—4 years of undergraduate study, followed by 3 years of law school.” States require the passage of a bar exam to permit law student graduates to practice law in those states. Wisconsin is the only state that currently does not require law students to take a bar examine. “After graduation, lawyers must keep informed about legal developments that affect their practices. Almost all states require lawyers to participate in continuing legal education either every year or every 3 years.”
Of course, this is a very subjective question. For example, a student who is passionate about protecting the environment would probably find a great deal of fulfillment in being an environmental lawyer. A few other types of lawyers include tax lawyers, intellectual property lawyers, family lawyers and securities lawyers.
According to the BLS’ website, “Lawyers advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes,” and, “Lawyers, also called attorneys, act as both advocates and advisors.” The website goes onto explain that “As advocates, they [lawyers] represent one of the parties in a criminal or civil trial by presenting evidence and arguing in support of their client. As advisors, lawyers counsel their clients about their legal rights and obligations and suggest courses of action in business and personal matters.”
As explained above lawyers who act as advocates must defend their client or clients in court. A few important qualities to be successful at advocating for a client include public speaking and being able to conduct the necessary research.
According to the BLS’ website “Newly hired attorneys usually start as associates and work on teams with more experienced lawyers.” This can include working with experienced trial attorneys. This experience can help an associate become a lawyer who takes the lead representing clients in the courtroom.
According to the BLS’ website, “The median annual wage for lawyers was $122,960 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $59,670, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000.”
For more information, visit https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/mobile/lawyers.htm, https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2014/article/careers-in-law-firms.htm, and https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm#tab-5
Place your job ad in our classified page on the HO print & digital Edition
