How to Become a Lawyer: What You Should Know

Thinking about a career in law? Whether you’re passionate about justice, love a good argument, or just curious about the process, becoming a lawyer in the U.S. is a clear—but rigorous—path. With over 1.3 million attorneys practicing across the country, it’s a career that attracts all kinds of driven individuals.

It’s not just about arguing in court like you see on TV. Lawyers work in a wide range of fields—from corporate and environmental law to public defense and civil rights. No matter what kind of law you’re interested in, the journey to becoming an attorney involves key steps: education, exams, and practical experience.

In this guide, I’ll break it all down in plain language. You’ll learn what degrees you need, how law school works, what the bar exam is really like, and what to expect once you’re licensed. Whether you’re just starting to explore this career or already planning your next steps, you’ll walk away with a clear roadmap and realistic expectations.

Key Takeaways

• It’s a Long Journey: Getting your law license usually takes about 7 years of school after high school, plus dedicated time to study for the bar exam.
• Degrees are a Must: You’ll need a bachelor’s degree (your undergrad), and then you’ll head to law school for a Juris Doctor (JD) law degree.
• Test Your Mettle: The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is your ticket into law school, and the bar exam is the final test before you can officially practice law.
• Brainpower and People Skills: To be a successful lawyer, you’ll need top-notch research skills, the ability to think critically, and great communication.
• Lots of Choices: Once you become a lawyer, you can work in all sorts of places, from bustling law offices to government roles..

Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Legal Career

Before we get into the “how-to” part of how to become a lawyer, let’s chat about what lawyers really do. It’s not always as dramatic as what you see on TV, but it’s definitely important work!

What Lawyers Actually Do

Lawyers are, at their core, problem-solvers and advisors. They guide people and businesses through tricky legal situations. This means they spend a lot of time talking to clients to understand their needs, digging deep into laws and past court cases (that’s where those research skills come in!), and preparing all sorts of legal documents, like contracts, wills, or lawsuits.

Essential Skills You’ll Need

Being a good lawyer isn’t just about knowing a ton of laws; it’s really about a set of skills that help you use that knowledge effectively. I’ve seen that the best lawyers tend to be strong in these areas:

Critical & Analytical

This is a big one. You’ll need to be able to take a lot of information, sometimes messy and complicated, and figure out what’s important. It means spotting issues, seeing how different pieces of information connect, and building strong, logical arguments.

Research

A huge chunk of a lawyer’s time is spent on research. You’ll be looking for specific laws, finding previous court decisions called “precedents” that apply to your current case, and gathering facts to build your arguments.

Persuasion

Lawyers deal with people from all walks of life every single day. Being personable, understanding, and able to build trust is key. You also need to be persuasive and good at reading others – understanding a jury’s reaction or sensing if a witness is being truthful can make a big difference.

Problem-Solving

At the end of the day, clients come to lawyers because they have a problem they can’t solve on their own. Your job is to use your legal knowledge and skills to find the best possible solutions for them.

Laying the Groundwork: Your Bachelor’s Degree

Your first big step on the road to becoming a lawyer is getting a bachelor’s degree. For most people, this means about four years of full-time study at a college or university right after high school. This undergraduate education is the foundation upon which your legal education will be built.

Does Your Major Matter? The ABA Says Not Specifically

One of the questions I hear all the time is, “What should I major in if I want to go to law school?” People often assume there’s a specific “pre-law” major they need to choose.

But here’s some good news directly from the American Bar Association (ABA): there is no single “right” major required for law school admission.

That’s right! Unlike some other professions, like medicine, where you have to take a lot of specific science classes, law schools don’t have a checklist of required undergraduate courses. When they’re looking at your application, the two biggest academic factors they usually focus on are your overall grades, i.e., your GPA, and your score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

So, you could choose a major that’s traditionally popular among students heading to law school, like history or economics. Or, you could major in something completely different, like art or biology.

The most important thing is to choose a subject that you’re genuinely interested in and that will challenge you. Why? Because if you’re interested, you’re more likely to do well and get a strong GPA, which is really important for getting into law school.

Popular Undergrad Majors & How They Help Prepare You for Law School

While no major is a “must-have,” some majors are popular among pre-law students because they naturally help develop skills that are super useful in law school and beyond. Here’s a quick look:

Tackling the LSAT

Alright, let’s talk about a very important step in your journey: the Law School Admission Test, or LSAT. If you’re serious about going to an ABA-approved law school in the U.S., this is a test you’ll almost certainly need to take and do well on.

What the LSAT Is and Why It’s So Important

The LSAT is a standardized test specifically designed to assess the skills that are considered absolutely essential for success in the demanding environment of law school. It tests if you can read and understand complex texts with accuracy, organize information effectively, draw reasonable conclusions, and think critically.

The LSAT score is a major factor that law school admission committees consider when they review your application. It helps them predict how well you might do in your first year of law school.

The test is created and administered by a nonprofit organization called the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

LSAT Structure: What’s on the Test?

Knowing what the test looks like can make it a lot less intimidating. The standard LSAT is made up of a few main parts, which are all multiple-choice, plus a separate writing sample. Here’s the breakdown:

LSAT Scoring: What Do the Numbers Mean?

Your LSAT score is based on the number of multiple-choice questions you answer correctly – this is called your “raw score.” All questions are weighted exactly the same.

Here’s a really important tip: there is no deduction for incorrect answers! That means you should always, always try to answer every question, even if you have to guess.

Once your raw score is calculated, LSAC converts it to a scaled score. This is the score that gets reported to you and to the law schools. The LSAT scale ranges from 120 (which is the lowest possible score) to 180 (the highest possible score).

JD-Next as an Alternative

Before we move on from admissions tests, I should mention a newer option called JD-Next. This is an 8-week online course that some law schools are beginning to accept as an alternative to the LSAT for their admissions process.

The course culminates in an exam that includes both multiple-choice questions and an essay component. Because JD-Next is still relatively new, it’s very important to check the specific admissions requirements of each law school you’re interested in to see if they accept it and what their policies are.

Applying to Law School: Your Path to a JD

Once you’ve conquered the LSAT or perhaps JD-Next, it’s time for the next big step: applying to law school! This part of the journey has several important pieces, and getting them all organized is key to presenting your best self to the admissions committees. Get help from admissions consultants like Crimson Education so you can set yourself apart from the competition.

The law school application process usually kicks off in the fall for admission the following year. It’s a good idea to start early! Here are the main components you’ll typically need to pull together:

• LSAC Account & CAS Registration: Create your account on LSAC.org early. Register for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) so LSAC can compile your documents.
• LSAT/JD-Next Score: Your score will be sent directly to LSAC and included in your CAS report. Ensure you’ve taken the test with enough time for scores to be reported.
• Transcripts: Request official transcripts from ALL undergraduate and graduate institutions you attended to be sent directly to LSAC. Allow plenty of time!
• Letters of Recommendation (LORs): Ask professors or employers who know you well and can speak positively about your abilities. Give them plenty of notice and clear instructions.
• Personal Statement: This is your story! Be authentic, focus on your motivations for law school, and proofread meticulously.
• Resume: Highlight relevant experiences, skills, and accomplishments. Keep it concise and professional.
• Application Fees: Budget for these. Check if schools offer fee waivers if you qualify.
• Optional Essays/Addenda (if needed): Use these strategically to provide additional positive information or to explain any potential concerns in your application.
• Character & Fitness Disclosures: Be completely honest and thorough in the character and fitness section of each application. When in doubt, disclose.

The Role of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC)

You’re going to hear the name “LSAC” a lot during this process, so it’s good to know who they are and what they do. The LSAC is a nonprofit organization that plays a really big part in the whole law school admission journey for most students in the U.S..

Here are some of the main things LSAC does:

• They Run the LSAT: LSAC is the organization that develops, schedules, and administers the LSAT.
• They Provide the Credential Assembly Service (CAS): It collects your transcripts and letters of recommendation and bundles them with your LSAT score into a report for the law schools you apply to.
• Their Website is Your Hub: You’ll create an account on LSAC.org. This is where you’ll register for the LSAT, manage your CAS report, and often access and submit the actual applications for many law schools.
• They Offer Resources: LSAC also provides a lot of helpful resources for aspiring law students. Their LawHub® platform has official LSAT prep materials, and they offer information to help you choose law schools and understand the application process.

Think of LSAC as the central station for much of your law school application process. Getting familiar with their website and services early on will make things much smoother for you.

Inside Law School: Earning Your Juris Doctor (JD)

Congratulations, you made it into law school! This is where the journey to become a lawyer really kicks into high gear. For most people, law school is a three-year, full-time adventure to earn a very specific law degree called a Juris Doctor, or JD.

Some schools do offer part-time programs, which usually take four years or a bit longer to complete. The JD is the main professional degree you need to practice law in the United States.

Year 1: The Core Subjects (The Infamous “1L Year”)

Your first year of law school, often called “1L year,” is legendary – and for good reason! It’s intense, foundational, and very different from what you experienced in college. Almost every ABA-approved law school has a similar set of required core courses that all 1L students take.

Here’s a quick look at those foundational 1L courses:

• Contracts
• Torts
• Criminal Law
• Constitutional Law
• Civil Procedure
• Property Law
• Legal Research & Writing

Years 2 & 3: Electives and Specializing

After you survive (and hopefully thrive in!) your 1L year, your second and third years of law school offer a lot more flexibility. You’ll typically have many elective courses to choose from, allowing you to explore areas of law that particularly interest you and align with your career goals.

This is your chance to dive deeper into specific fields. For example, if you’re interested in business, you might take courses in corporate law, securities regulation, or tax law. If you’re passionate about social justice, you could focus on civil rights law, immigration law, or environmental law.

Some law schools even offer formal concentrations or certificates in these specialized areas, which can be a good way to signal your interest to potential employers. While you’ll have more choice, there are usually still a few required upper-level courses, often including Evidence, Business Organizations, and Professional Responsibility.

The Bar Exam: The Big Test

After graduating from law school, you must pass the bar exam in the state where you want to practice. The bar exam is a big licensing test on law. It usually lasts two or three days. The test has multiple-choice questions and essay questions on many topics.

Many states now use the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), which has a first day of multiple-choice questions (the MBE) and essays, and a second day of more essays and a performance test (writing a memo). A few states, like California, have their own three-day exams.

Before you sit for the exam, you will register with the state bar. This involves filling out a lengthy application, paying fees, and passing a character/fitness check. The state will review your background, schooling, jobs, and any past issues.

Prepare for the bar by studying hard in the months after graduation. Many students take a bar review course, like Barbri or Kaplan, that lasts 8–10 weeks full-time.

After the exam, you wait for scores (usually 2–3 months). Most first-time test takers from ABA law schools pass. For example, 83% passed on their first try in 2024. If you don’t pass the first time, you can try again. Once you pass, you get your license and can officially practice law.

Here’s a quick summary of the main steps, typical time, and estimated costs:

Almost There! MPRE and Character & Fitness

You’ve passed the bar exam – amazing! But hold on, you’re not quite ready to practice law just yet. There are a couple more important steps in most states: the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) and the Character and Fitness review.

The MPRE: Testing Your Ethics

Before you can get your official law license, almost every state requires you to pass the MPRE. Think of this as the ethics exam for lawyers.

The MPRE is a two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice test that focuses specifically on the rules of professional conduct for lawyers and judges. It’s designed to ensure you understand the ethical obligations you’ll have as a member of the legal profession.

The scores on the MPRE range from 50 (low) to 150 (high), and each state sets its own minimum passing score. You’ll need to create an account with the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) to register for the MPRE, as they administer this test, too. The fee to take the MPRE is currently around $160.

Most law students take the MPRE sometime during their second (2L) or third (3L) year of law school, often after they’ve taken a course in professional responsibility or legal ethics at their law school.

The Character and Fitness Review: Why It Matters

The Character and Fitness (C&F) review involves a very thorough background check. You’ll have to fill out a long and detailed application where you disclose a lot of personal information. This typically includes your academic history, your financial history, any criminal record, and sometimes even things like traffic violations.

I cannot stress this enough: honesty and candor are absolutely critical during the C&F process. If you try to hide something or you’re not completely truthful on your application, that can often be a much bigger problem for the C&F committee than the underlying issue itself. When in doubt, it’s almost always better to disclose and explain.

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