Thinking about becoming a lawyer but don’t know where to start? in this article, I’ll be discussing the exact requirements of how to become a lawyer. As a disclaimer, these are just the general requirements, but depending on your jurisdiction and state, the requirements can actually vary.

Step 1: High School Diploma or GED

The first step to becoming a lawyer is having either a high school diploma or the equivalent GED. This is a simple and straightforward requirement, as you need one of these credentials to get into college.

Step 2: Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree

The next step is getting a bachelor’s degree by attending college. I suggest picking a major that interests you the most and allows you to achieve high grades. In my experience, I obtained my bachelor’s in psychology, which was challenging as a pre-law student, making it difficult to maintain straight A’s.

Step 3: Take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test)

The LSAT is a standardized test required by most law schools for admission. It consists of four sections:

1. Reading Comprehension
2. Analytical Reasoning
3. Logical Reasoning
4. Essay Portion

Step 4: Get Into Law School

Your undergraduate GPA and LSAT score are the biggest factors influencing your law school acceptance. With high scores, you may even secure a full-ride scholarship, minimizing the burden of student loans.

Step 5: Earn a Juris Doctor (JD) Degree

A Juris Doctor degree is required to practice law. For full-time students, law school typically takes three years, while part-time students may take four to five years. Some schools also offer accelerated programs that allow students to complete law school in just two years.

Step 6: Pass the Bar Exam

This is one of the hardest parts of becoming a lawyer. Depending on the state, the bar exam can be a two or three-day administered test. In California, where I took the exam, it is a two-day test with the toughest cut score in the nation. The California bar exam includes:

• Five essay questions
• One performance test
• 200 multiple-choice questions

Additionally, you must apply for the Moral Character Exam, where the State Bar evaluates your character and fitness to practice law. In my case, several attorneys were consulted to assess my eligibility.

Step 7: Swearing-In Ceremony

Once you pass the bar exam and moral character exam, the final step is the swearing-in ceremony. This is an important moment where you officially become an attorney. For me, this was a special experience as my childhood friend’s dad, who was also my basketball coach, swore me in in front of my entire family.

Conclusion

Now that you know the steps to becoming a lawyer, you might be wondering: Is it worth it? If so, stay tuned for my next article, where I’ll be discussing the common misconceptions about being a lawyer.