Table of Contents
- Education
- Challenges of Becoming a Lawyer
- Attorney vs. Lawyer
- Timeframe for Becoming a Lawyer
- Earning Potential
Education
Becoming a lawyer requires a significant investment of time and money. Before you can become a practicing lawyer, you must complete a law degree, which usually takes three years if attending full-time. A law degree can be earned through a traditional four-year school, or through an accelerated three-year program available at some universities. Earning a law degree typically involves taking classes in various areas of the law, such as constitutional law, contracts, torts and civil procedure.
Challenges of Becoming a Lawyer
Is being a lawyer hard? Yes, it’s important to understand that lawyers often face difficult challenges. The law is a vast and complex field, and lawyers must often research hundreds of pages of legal documents before they can adequately advise a client. Lawyers must also be able to handle intense pressure from clients, opposing counsel and judges. If you are not prepared to face these challenges, then law school may not be for you.
Attorney vs. Lawyer
What is an attorney vs lawyer? An attorney is someone who has been licensed to practice law in a particular jurisdiction. A lawyer is somebody who has graduated from law school and is qualified to advise clients on legal matters. In some jurisdictions, the two terms are interchangeable.
Timeframe for Becoming a Lawyer
What’s the quickest you can become a lawyer? After completing a law degree, aspiring lawyers must pass a bar exam in order to become licensed attorneys. Depending on the jurisdiction, the bar exam can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to complete. Once you have passed the bar exam, you must be sworn in and can begin practicing law.
Earning Potential
Do lawyers still make a lot of money? Yes, lawyers enjoy a very high earning potential. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lawyers in the United States earned an average of $122,960 in 2019. Of course, the amount of money you can make as a lawyer will depend on your experience, the size of the law firm you work for, the type of legal practice you specialize in, and the area of the country in which you practice.
Becoming a lawyer requires much more education than most people think. Aspiring lawyers should consider gaining additional qualifications, such as a Masters, to set themselves apart.