How to Become a Lawyer

Lawyers have always had a distinct spot in the society for many reasons. They represent an individual or entities in legal issues and always illustrate determination in their personalities. Many aspire to become a lawyer not only because of the type of work they do but also because many people are attached to helping other people. When one becomes a lawyer, he can serve as a general counsel for a corporation or company, handling their legal issues. He can also choose to work as a lawyer in a big firm. Some lawyers also prefer to work for a legal services agency and help people in their legal crises. Others could also become a prosecutor, a public defender, a city counsel or a city attorney.


The legal fields a lawyer can choose from are as varied as the society in which he lives. The nature of work of these different legal fields is also different from each other. Lawyers are not only limited to the courtroom drama. Contrary to what other people think, most practicing lawyers rarely see and participate in any actions in the courtroom. Some lawyers even prefer not to practice law and work instead in business, in the government as public officials, or in any law-related fields. The field he choose to work in depends entirely on the person himself, considering well enough that there a lot of possibilities and opportunities for him after becoming a lawyer.

Becoming a lawyer requires a lot of preparations not only in educational requirements but in experiences, as well. One must have an undergraduate degree from a recognized university and graduate with a high Grade Point Average (GPA). This becomes an advantage in one’s application for a law school. Take time to consider which among the different law schools in your area are accredited and recognized as the best law schools. Apply to at least three of these best schools to increase your chances of being admitted to any law school. Prepare for the entrance examinations of these law schools and pass the LSAT (Law School Admission Test).

Certain schools in Nigeria, such as the Nigerian Law School, require students who took up an undergraduate degree from outside the country to take courses such as Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Nigeria Legal System and Nigerian Land Law. These courses constitute Bar I of the courses taught to law students in this school. Bar II comprises of courses such as Civil Procedure, Company Law and Commercial Practice, Criminal Procedure, Law of Evidence, Legal drafting and Conveyance, Professional Ethics, Legal Practitioner’s Accounts, Law Office Management and General Paper.

After passing the admissions, complete your law degree and participate in as many extracurricular activities as you can. This will prove helpful to you in the legal field as this can help you gather more information and experiences, and will also be an additional advantage in your résumé. In your law graduation, choose your area of specialization that you want to practice. After earning your Juris Doctor or J.D. degree, prepare for the Bar examinations administered in your area or country. This examination helps you become a recognized lawyer and could help you land a job in any law firm or law agency.

Indeed, becoming a lawyer is not an easy path to take. One must not only have all these educational qualifications but must also possess the passion to help other people. In any case, a lawyer is an advocate, someone who helps other people as if he was that person. Any lawyer must always take this mentality into account in his law career.