How do i become an attorney?

Question

I have decided to get my BS in Business Management and Paralegal.

Answer 1

I am an attorney, criminal defense.  The first thing you need to focus on is the LSAT.  The LSAT is pretty much like the SAT for lawyers, same as doctors have the MCAT.  You need to study for the LSAT, it has reading, logic and puzzle sections which are all very difficult.  You should set up an aggressive practice schedule and always grade/time your practice tests, taking several.  Do not just take the LSAT cold to see what happens.  Unlike the SAT, all LSAT scores ever taken are averaged.  One bad test and your aggregate score is screwed.  The high score is a 180.  I knew a girl who got a 176.  She got accepted to Harvard without having a very impressive college record.  The LSAT is huge.  Prep. courses are available although I studied with guides on my own.

Before going to lawschool, first select the state you wish to practice in.  In most cases, with the exception of lawyers who practice federal law or work for the foreign service or handle international business law/maritime law, you will practice and work in the state where you passed the Bar.  Each state has a slightly different Bar exam.  I passed in CA and NY.  Some states have reciprocity with one another, meaning that passing the bar in one state allows you to work in others, like NY.  Other states, like HI and CA have no reciprocity.  Think about where you want to live.

While thinking about where you want to live, you need to figure out your exit strategy from lawschool.  Try to have a strong understanding of how much you will owe in loans, what kind of work you want to do and what the average pay is for that field.  Get a good idea what your field really means.  Environmental law might sound cool and litigation might sound cool, but once you find out what those jobs really entail, you could change your mind.  Some work involves travel, some is pure trial, some is just lots and lots of documents.

Many people figure out what they want to do while in lawschool.  This can work out well or very poorly.  A friend of mine almost dropped out, then ended up working for the foreign service and loves it.  Another friend of mine ended up in litigation, hated it, and basically spent four years after lawschool trying to find his place.  I don't recommend this, also you can't expect to know everything before lawschool.

You need to pick a school that will actually set you up for a job.  Some small lawschools are directly linked to a particular community or District Attorney's office, for example, but are useful for little else.  Large schools, like where I went, have huge pull with massive corporate firms and easy access to government work in urban centers.  High end schools are also extremely competitive, both to get into and survive.  You will have no life for the first two years of lawschool.

Finally you take the Bar, which is probably the most brutal test ever devised.  In California, it is 3 days long, eight hours a day.  People vomit during testing, pass out and melt down from the extreme stress.  My friends and I spend months studying and preparing so, for us at least, it was no sweat.  If you expect to pass, you must study for about 10 hours a day, straight, for several months including Bar prep. classes which cost thousands of dollars in addition to your lawschool tuition.

The payoff is great.  I do tons of trials in my field, mostly violent felonies.  It has been very exciting work.  I'm also very happy with the people I met in school, good friends, some very hot women, and ultimately my wife. Other friends of mine went the corporate route, which can be very cutthroat, particularly in these uncertain economic times.  They survived and make huge, huge money.  If that's your thing, it's available if you are willing to work and have the ability.

Answer 2

I'm currently pursuing the same degree....You can start applying to the law schools that you are interested in, and it's basically a matter of passing the test...because they will see that you have had the proper training in the field of law. Law school is a step further than the bs...but in order to be considered you have obtained the bs, so now you just need to pass the various exams that it takes...

Answer 3

You get a BS in something, then go to law school, which is typically 5 years or so.

Yeah, it's like getting an MD.