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The legal field has been the subject of intense media dramatization. The realities of working in the legal profession are often minimized or neglected — meaning that it can be difficult to get a sense of what a career in law is actually like. As such, we have put together a list of five things to know about the legal profession before choosing it for your career.
1. The cost of law school
One thing you may not be prepared for is the cost of going to law school. On top of your four years of undergraduate school, you will need to pay for at least another three years of law school. While good grades and a strong resumé can help you earn scholarship money to lessen the cost of your education, you should consider the massive expenses that come with earning a law degree.
After you graduate from law school, you will also need to pay to take the BAR exam and earn your license to practice the law. The BAR exam costs between $100 and $1,300 depending on where you register, and you will need to pay each time you take the test. Make sure you do well on your first attempt so you can avoid paying for the exam a second time.
On average, law school graduates can expect to have around $150,000 of debt after they graduate. While your salary should allow you to make consistent payments on your student loans, you should consider if you are comfortable taking on that much debt from your education.
2. You have to take multiple tests
Any prospective lawyer or legal professional is going to need to pass a series of tests to determine their legal aptitude and knowledge. For example, before you even get accepted into law school, you will need to take the LSAT and earn a competitive score that sets you apart from other applicants. Taking an LSAT prep course can help you boost your score and increase your chances of getting into law school where, unfortunately, you will need to take even more tests.
Once you are in law school, you can expect regular examinations on coursework and your knowledge of the law. Passing any tests, you take while in law school is crucial for graduating on time and building the foundations for a lucrative career. After you graduate, you need to take the BAR exam to become a licensed legal practitioner in your state and begin your career.
If you fail the BAR exam on your initial attempt, you have nothing to worry about! The BAR exam is extremely difficult, and even some of the most important figures in the legal field have needed more than one attempt to pass the exam. For the best chance of success, fill every available moment with studying, practicing questions, and taking notes.
3. Law school is a significant time commitment
Another factor to consider before choosing a career in the legal field is how long it takes to earn a law degree. The journey to becoming a lawyer begins with your four-year undergraduate degree, but you will also need to complete at least three years of law school after you graduate. Some schools offer accelerated programs, or night classes and weekend classes that allow working professionals to earn a degree.
If you take advantage of night and weekend programs because you are unable to attend law school full-time, you will likely need to spend four years total in law school. Although you may be worried about the length of time you will be in school, do not rush through it! While in law school, you need to absorb as much information about the law as you can — take your time to fully understand everything you learn.
4. You likely will not spend much time in court
Unlike most portrayals of the legal field in the media, you likely will not spend much time in court as a legal professional. Most lawyers spend their time alone doing intense research on the ins and outs of complicated laws in their niche. In fact, depending on where you work, it is entirely possible that you will never see the courtroom as a lawyer.
Although you probably will not be spending much time in court, that does not mean that being a lawyer is boring. Lawyers can serve at the forefront of legal development and can work on exciting initiatives in their niche. Some lawyers also work in executive positions at
5. Practicing law is difficult
Even though you spend years preparing to become a lawyer, you will likely feel completely overwhelmed the first time you take on a client. While law school can teach you law in a very idyllic way, it cannot teach you the emotions you will feel, and on-the-spot judgment calls you will need to make once you begin your career.
To overcome the difficulty of practicing law, you need to become a lifelong learner who is dedicated to upholding and updating the legal system. As a legal professional, you constantly need to adapt to the rapidly changing laws and institutions that affect your field of work. The only way you can provide valuable service to your clients is by staying informed of the latest developments in your field.
Law is also difficult because it requires complete honesty to your clients and the court systems where you work. It is not difficult to avoid telling lies but being honest also means you need to have a complete understanding of any pertinent laws and court processes so that you can provide the best service to your clients.
Conclusion
A career in the legal field is not always as exciting or dramatic as it has made out to be in the media. Most legal professionals never see the courtroom, and those that do are unlikely to make a good name for themselves by delivering emotional speeches to juries like on TV. The best lawyers are dedicated to understanding the law and helping their clients through extensive research.