To become a business law attorney, there are a few simple steps. At least, the steps are simple to understand, but doing each step requires years of hard work.
1. Take the LSAT
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a nationally standardized test. Your LSAT score includes points based on your correct answers on the LSAT. Your LSAT score is also adjusted based on your college GPA and the competitiveness of your college. Once you take the LSAT, you must arrange for your LSAT score to be sent to law schools as part of your application for admission. Law schools then compare your LSAT score and other admission application materials to determine which applicants to accept. The law school admissions process is very competitive, but with good college grades, good performance on the LSAT, and a good law school application, you should be admitted to law school.
2. Attend Law School
Next, you need to attend law school. This can't be just any law school. Your state may only let you practice law if you attend an ABA approved law school. Most states require that law students attend an ABA approved law school before taking the bar exam in that state. California is a notable exception. In California, you can take the bar exam even though you have not gone to an ABA approved law school. However, California has other rules, so you should check into those if you are considering attending a law school not approved by the ABA.
3. Pass the Bar Exam
Once you have graduated from law school, you prepare to take the biggest law exam of your life. Each state has its own bar exam, which takes two to three days depending on the state. You must pass the bar exam to practice law in your state. It may be worth noting exceptions to this rule. Most states allow you to practice law if you are licensed to practice law in another state and fulfill other requirements. A very small number of states will allow someone to practice law if that person has experience as a judicial clerk, but this exception is rarely used today.
4. Become Licensed to Practice Law in Your State
To become licensed to practice law, you must apply for admission. The admission process involves a criminal background check, a lengthy application, success passing the bar, and a number of other requirements. If your application is approved, you then must be sworn in. After taking your oath, you are officially an attorney who is licensed to practice law in that state.
5. Get a Business Attorney Job or Find Your Own Business Clients
The final step is to get a job practicing business law at a law firm or to find your own business law clients and practice as a solo practitioner. Whether to work for a law firm or start your own law practice depends largely on personal preferences and whether you could acquire enough clients to work on your own. If you start practicing law in a law firm, you normally are not expected to bring in clients for at least a few years.
Obtaining a business attorney job is not necessarily easy. First, not all law firms practice in business law. If you are interested in being a business attorney, you should seek out firms that have business clients. Second, your ability to get a business attorney position may also depend on your business experience. Business law jobs are often at large firms, which may require strong resumes because so many attorneys want to work in business law compared to the number of positions available. If you have experience in business or an MBA, you will have an improved chance at obtaining a business attorney job. Good law school grades and other impressive resume items will also be important.
Are You Sure You Want to Be a Business Attorney?
As a final piece of advice, here is one suggestion. Before you set off on the long road towards becoming a business attorney, be sure that a business attorney career is what you want. As you may know, a business attorney's job is not at all like what is portrayed on TV. You would be disappointed to spend years of your life and acquire law school loans only to find out later that you don't like being a business attorney. You may want to interview some business attorneys, read about the profession, or even shadow one or two business attorneys for a day. That would allow you to see what a day in the life of an attorney is really like. Before you invest money and time pursuing a legal career, be sure you really want it.
Conclusion
As you can see, the steps to become a business law attorney are simple to understand. However, the process involves years of hard work. Determining whether you want to become a business attorney is an important question worthy of careful consideration before investing so much money and time. Many people have thoroughly enjoyed being a business attorney, and for them, the years of preparation and cost of education was an excellent investment.
1. Take the LSAT
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a nationally standardized test. Your LSAT score includes points based on your correct answers on the LSAT. Your LSAT score is also adjusted based on your college GPA and the competitiveness of your college. Once you take the LSAT, you must arrange for your LSAT score to be sent to law schools as part of your application for admission. Law schools then compare your LSAT score and other admission application materials to determine which applicants to accept. The law school admissions process is very competitive, but with good college grades, good performance on the LSAT, and a good law school application, you should be admitted to law school.
2. Attend Law School
Next, you need to attend law school. This can't be just any law school. Your state may only let you practice law if you attend an ABA approved law school. Most states require that law students attend an ABA approved law school before taking the bar exam in that state. California is a notable exception. In California, you can take the bar exam even though you have not gone to an ABA approved law school. However, California has other rules, so you should check into those if you are considering attending a law school not approved by the ABA.
3. Pass the Bar Exam
Once you have graduated from law school, you prepare to take the biggest law exam of your life. Each state has its own bar exam, which takes two to three days depending on the state. You must pass the bar exam to practice law in your state. It may be worth noting exceptions to this rule. Most states allow you to practice law if you are licensed to practice law in another state and fulfill other requirements. A very small number of states will allow someone to practice law if that person has experience as a judicial clerk, but this exception is rarely used today.
4. Become Licensed to Practice Law in Your State
To become licensed to practice law, you must apply for admission. The admission process involves a criminal background check, a lengthy application, success passing the bar, and a number of other requirements. If your application is approved, you then must be sworn in. After taking your oath, you are officially an attorney who is licensed to practice law in that state.
5. Get a Business Attorney Job or Find Your Own Business Clients
The final step is to get a job practicing business law at a law firm or to find your own business law clients and practice as a solo practitioner. Whether to work for a law firm or start your own law practice depends largely on personal preferences and whether you could acquire enough clients to work on your own. If you start practicing law in a law firm, you normally are not expected to bring in clients for at least a few years.
Obtaining a business attorney job is not necessarily easy. First, not all law firms practice in business law. If you are interested in being a business attorney, you should seek out firms that have business clients. Second, your ability to get a business attorney position may also depend on your business experience. Business law jobs are often at large firms, which may require strong resumes because so many attorneys want to work in business law compared to the number of positions available. If you have experience in business or an MBA, you will have an improved chance at obtaining a business attorney job. Good law school grades and other impressive resume items will also be important.
Are You Sure You Want to Be a Business Attorney?
As a final piece of advice, here is one suggestion. Before you set off on the long road towards becoming a business attorney, be sure that a business attorney career is what you want. As you may know, a business attorney's job is not at all like what is portrayed on TV. You would be disappointed to spend years of your life and acquire law school loans only to find out later that you don't like being a business attorney. You may want to interview some business attorneys, read about the profession, or even shadow one or two business attorneys for a day. That would allow you to see what a day in the life of an attorney is really like. Before you invest money and time pursuing a legal career, be sure you really want it.
Conclusion
As you can see, the steps to become a business law attorney are simple to understand. However, the process involves years of hard work. Determining whether you want to become a business attorney is an important question worthy of careful consideration before investing so much money and time. Many people have thoroughly enjoyed being a business attorney, and for them, the years of preparation and cost of education was an excellent investment.
Author Information: Aaron Hall is a licensed attorney, admitted to practice law in Minnesota and the United States Federal District Court in the District of Minnesota. He serves in private practice as a Minnesota business attorney and a Minnesota litigation attorney.
Comments :
0 comments to “Business Attorney Career - How to Become Business Lawyer”
Post a Comment