Obtaining a law degree doesn’t mean you have to go into a traditional legal job. True, many law school graduates do go on to become lawyers, but the skills learned in law school are directly transferable to more than 300 other professions. You will develop analytical, advocacy, research, and communication skills in law school as well as the ability to solve problems by breaking it down into it’s component parts.
Not only are the career possibilities endless for individual’s with a law degree, the opportunity for advancement and salary growth is high. Criminal justice careers, education administration careers, energy careers, and financial services all offer advancement opportunities and salary growth. The following are just a few career fields open to law school graduates. Others are:
- -Alternative Dispute Resolution
- -Civil Rights
- -Contract and Procurement
- -Court Administration
- -Education Faculty
- -Environmental
- -Human Resources
- -International Affairs/Trade
- -Insurance
- -Intellectual Property
- -Intelligence/National Security
- -Labor Relations
- -Legal Administration
- -Marketing
- -Legal Documents/Information
- -Legislation and Regulatory Affairs
- -Management
- -Publishing/Broadcasting
- -Real Estate/Housing
- -Taxation
- -Transportation
To earn a law degree, you’ll have to start with a bachelor’s degree. Your degree must be from an accredited college or university. Although it is not necessary to major in these areas, many undergraduates major in legal studies, criminal justice, law and society or other similar degree. Majoring in a law-related area, however, can make earning a law degree much easier. After earning your bachelor’s degree, you’ll have to take the Law School Admissions Test or LSAT. With a high score in the LSAT and an excellent GPA in college, you should have no problems getting into law school. Just keep in mind that while getting into “a” program will be easy for you, getting into a top program could be challenging based on the overwhelming number of qualified applicants.
It takes a minimum of three years to complete a full-time program. It also takes time to study for and take the bar exam after you graduate. You’ll have to take the bar exam for the state you plan to practice in. If you plan to practice in multiple states, you’ll have to pass the exams in those states as well. Requirements vary state to state. In some states, you’ll even have to pass a Character and Fitness evaluation conducted by the National Council of Bar Examiners, which also provides exam materials to many states. The evaluation includes a criminal background check, driving record check, credit check, and medical records check. You may also have to take a drug test.
For more information about becoming a lawyer in your state, visit the American Bar Association at Americanbar.org. For a list of the best law schools, visit the U.S. News & World Report website and review the education section.
