What You Need to Know About Becoming a Lawyer

If you’re a master negotiator with a knack for communication, the law profession might be the best career for you. A lawyer is a person who helps people and companies alike through various legal situations. However, becoming a lawyer can be really challenging. Here’s what you need to know about becoming a lawyer.

The Degree Isn’t Cheap

One might argue that all degrees are pricey. However, there are a handful of degrees that are just more expensive than others, and law degrees are one of them. In fact, law students can expect to pay somewhere between $85,000 to as much as $130,000 on average for tuition costs. Furthermore, the cost also depends on the school you’re going to as well as the type of law you choose to practice.

There Are Many Types of Law

Law isn’t just a single aspect; there are many different forms for you to study. Here’s a quick list of the various types of law:

• Business
• Criminal
• Environmental
• First amendment
• Health care
• Civil rights
• Immigration
• Family
• Constitutional

These are only scratching the surface of what you can study, so make sure to take your time as you choose.

Consider Opening Your Own Firm

Once you’ve chosen your preferred law field and are currently going through your degree program, it’s not a bad idea to consider opening your own firm. Most lawyers often work in private offices or their state government. However, some lawyers may opt for opening their own firm. This way, you can separate yourself from the norm and be more independent. But remember that opening your own firm is no different than opening any other business. You need to go through the process of taking out loans, like business loans for the office space and personal loans to get your own finances in order so you can free up money to invest in the business going forward.

Be Ready to Take the Exams

When it comes to studying law, you need to be at the top of your class. The career itself is somewhat strict in that regard, but lawyers also have some of the best salaries, so it’s not without reason. The first exam you’re going to take is the LSAT. LSAT is short for Law School Admission Test and is mandatory to take for people trying to get accepted into law school. The highest score you can get on this test is 180. The average score that’s passable is at least 152. However, since law school is strict with its applicants, you want to aim for the highest score possible.

Things to Consider

The work you have to do when becoming a lawyer can be rigorous. It’s often regarded as one of the most difficult careers you can get. However, the work is definitely worth the effort for a number of reasons. For starters, law has a lot of job flexibility. You can work just about anywhere once you graduate. Secondly, you’ll have one of the best salaries a job can give you. In fact, a lot of lawyers make $70,000 to as much as $120,000 a year. Another perk of this job is having the ability to help others who need it. For a lawyer, there’s no greater satisfaction than winning a case for your client.