Here’s a brief list of what Attorneys do:

• Legal Advice: Provides legal advice and guidance to clients on various legal matters, including rights, responsibilities, and potential courses of action.

• Legal Research: Conducts legal research to interpret laws, regulations, judicial decisions, and precedents relevant to specific cases or issues.

• Document Preparation: Prepares legal documents such as contracts, wills, deeds, pleadings, and other legal instruments needed for transactions or litigation.

• Negotiation and Mediation: Negotiates settlements, agreements, or compromises on behalf of clients to resolve disputes without going to trial. Mediates disputes between parties to facilitate mutually acceptable resolutions.

• Litigation: Represents clients in court proceedings, including trials, hearings, motions, and appeals, advocating for their interests and presenting legal arguments.

• Client Counseling: Counsels clients on legal strategies, risks, and potential outcomes of legal actions or disputes, helping them make informed decisions.

• Advocacy and Defense: Advocates for clients' rights and interests in legal proceedings, defends against accusations or charges, and presents evidence to support their case.

Here’s how YOU can become one:

1. Educational Requirements:

• Undergraduate Education: Obtain a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. While there is no specific major required for law school, it is advisable to choose a field that develops critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and writing skills. Common majors include political science, history, English, economics, or any other liberal arts discipline.

• Law School: Complete a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree program at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). Law school typically takes three years of full-time study or four years of part-time study. During law school, you will study various aspects of law, including constitutional law, contracts, torts, criminal law, property law, civil procedure, and legal writing.

2. Pass the Bar Exam:

• After graduating from law school, you must pass the bar examination in the state where you plan to practice law. Each state has its own bar exam, which tests your knowledge of state-specific laws and legal principles. Some states also require a separate ethics exam.

• Bar exams are typically held twice a year (in February and July), and preparation usually involves several months of intensive study using bar review courses and practice exams.

3. Gain Practical Experience (Optional):

• Depending on the state, you may need to complete a period of practical training, such as a legal internship (clerkship) or a supervised practice under an experienced attorney. This requirement is often fulfilled through participation in a legal clinic during law school or through a post-graduate internship program.

4. Pass Character and Fitness Evaluation:

• Before being admitted to the bar, you must pass a character and fitness evaluation conducted by the state bar association. This evaluation ensures that you have the moral character and fitness to practice law responsibly and ethically.

5. Get Licensed and Admitted to the Bar:

• Once you have passed the bar exam and met all other requirements (such as character and fitness evaluation), you will be licensed to practice law in the state where you passed the exam. This typically involves taking an oath and being officially admitted to the state bar association.

6. Consider Specialization or Additional Certification (Optional):

• After becoming licensed, you may choose to specialize in a particular area of law by gaining additional experience and possibly pursuing certification in a specialized field such as tax law, family law, environmental law, or intellectual property law. Specialization often requires meeting additional education and experience requirements.

7. Continuing Legal Education (CLE):

• Throughout your career as an attorney, you will be required to participate in continuing legal education programs to maintain your license and stay informed about changes in the law and legal practice.

8. Build a Career:

• Once licensed, you can practice law in various settings, including law firms (large or small), government agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations, or as a solo practitioner. Networking, gaining experience, and establishing a good reputation within the legal community are important steps towards building a successful legal career.

  This is a very brief and general plan. To know your specific academic path for this career please talk to an advisor at the college or program you plan on attending!