Advice For Students Who Want to Become Car Accident Lawyers 

Personal injury represents a popular field of law. Personal injury attorneys may find interest in representing and protecting the interests of those injured due to the negligence of others. Practicing within this area of law requires extensive litigation and negotiation skills. However, before becoming a car accident lawyer, you must first become a lawyer. 

The road to becoming an attorney takes approximately 7-8 years and requires the completion of multiple steps. Unfortunately, there is no way to shortcut this process, so in addition to these steps, becoming a lawyer requires dedication and perseverance. Below, an experienced Lima car accident law firm will give you advice on how to become a car accident lawyer.

Obtain an Undergraduate Degree 

The first step to obtaining a law degree is to graduate and receive an undergraduate degree. Although most law schools accept an undergraduate degree from any field of study, those hoping to attend law typically major in subjects like history, political science, and English.

Take the LSAT 

Once you obtain your undergraduate degree, you must study and sit for the Law School Admission Test or the LSAT, as it is more commonly known. The LSAT tests pupils on skills used by lawyers, including critical reading, research, task management, and logic. Admission to top-tier law schools is highly competitive and requires a high LSAT score in addition to an impressive undergraduate GPA. 

Attend and Graduate from Law School 

Once accepted to law school, it usually takes three years to complete with full-time attendance. The  first year of law school covers general subjects such as torts, contracts, property, and criminal law. The second and third year of law school focuses on elective subjects where you may explore different areas of law to determine your focus after graduation. Elective subjects include personal injury law, medical malpractice, and civil litigation classes.

Students should also attempt to intern with a personal injury firm or judge to understand that specific field of law better during law school. 

Pass the Bar Exam  

To practice law in most states, one must pass the bar exam in the state they wish to practice. There is no specific bar exam for specialties of law. Instead, all students take the same exam, which usually covers all of the major subjects covered in law school. To prepare, many students take bar exam preparatory classes, while others hire private tutors. Preparing for the bar exam usually requires months of full-time study.   

Private Practice or Large Firm?

An attorney may take different paths to achieve their desired career and advancement level. For some attorneys, opening up their own firm and running a private practice may be an ideal route. Other attorneys may prefer to work in a large firm with multiple offices throughout the country. An attorney may also choose to work for a smaller firm composed of numerous attorneys.

Job Description for a Car Accident Lawyer 

Personal injury law deals predominantly with clients’ physical and emotional injuries after an accident. These injuries may result from car accidents, slip and fall accidents, product defects, dog bites, and more. Many personal injury cases never go to trial, instead requiring attorneys to craft their negotiation skills. The cases that go to trial demand extensive hours of trial preparation, research, and oral argument skills. 

According to research conducted within the law practice industry, the market for personal injury attorneys is expected to increase by 1.9% in 2022. Additionally, more people are driving and out on the road today than ever before. 2021 saw its deadliest year yet with 20,160 deaths in the first six months, up by 3,140 compared to 2020. With travel on roads within the United States up 13% since 2020, there is a growing need for car accident attorneys. Sadly, those injured and suffering the loss of loved ones will need the assistance of a personal injury attorney to represent them through the legal process.