Essential Skills For A Career In Law
Very often, students enroll in law school without having a clear idea of what a profession is. Many are attracted to a lawyer’s degree and decide to pursue a law degree without having the proper knowledge of a career.
There are certain characteristics that one must possess to succeed in a career in law. You should assess yourself before actually applying to any institution. To get a clear picture, you can visit your local court, attend a trial, talk to lawyers and observe the functioning of the legal system. Observing lawyers and judges in the workplace will allow you to identify some of the skills, knowledge and values required for a career in law. You can even get advice from a career counselor.
Law is a field for them:
o Excellent and above average self-study skills such as reading, listening, writing, speaking and analysis
o Have excellent verbal, public speaking, debating and debating skills
o Have a high level of patience and self-confidence.
Before starting the application process, carefully consider whether a law degree is right for you based on these attributes. You may also need pre-law courses to enter certain law programs.
Preparing For Law School
This area should be explored through research, investigation of resources on the Internet, discussions with law students, and counselling. Joining some of the pre-law courses offered by various institutions will allow you to develop skills that will be useful for law school, such as the study of English and principles of accounting and finance. There are many branches in the practice of law such as tax law, corporate law, labor/employment law, civil law, family law, international law and real estate law among others. You should be clear about your interests, which will help in selecting the appropriate course of study.
Enrolling in Law School
Information about law schools offering law programs can be obtained with the help of an educational counselor or on the Internet by visiting the law school’s website which provides details of the programs offered by them and the application process. The best sources are law school catalogs or reference books that describe law schools and their admission criteria. The Law School Admissions Council (“LSAC”) sponsors annual law forums across the country that provide time for interested applicants to speak with representatives from accredited law schools.
Programs leading to the presentation of Bachelor of Science in Law (BSL), Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LL.M.) and Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degrees are some of the common programs offered by law schools.
American law schools are expensive, especially private ones. The competition for admission to the top-ranked law schools is fierce. Applications are accepted on an individual basis.
Career Options With a Law Degree: Employment Or Business/Independent Training:
A law degree is highly lucrative. It’s worth it and most lawyers manage to live a comfortable life. A lawyer in the US can easily earn over $100,000 per year.
o Business/Independent Training: You can have your own business arrangement such as a consulting firm providing legal advice and guidance to your clients, independent practice – legal representation in courts, drafting legal documents for clients or simply holding training classes yourself.
o The Job Market: You also have a wide range of options in the job market – teaching, working with law firms, and with companies and legal entities as legal advisors and lawyers. However, your legal qualifications alone will not help. You need to market yourself and your law degree to reap the benefits of all your hard work. You need to find the right job for yourself and then market yourself to secure the position.
A career in law is rewarding and rewarding, provided you have the skills and essentials to pursue a career in law and the willingness to take on the challenges that lie ahead.