(US rules and generally) If you have a passion for helping people and you also love money, becoming a personal injury lawyer might be the perfect choice for you. While most lawyers earn a higher income than the typical salaried employee, injury lawyers are in business to make sure that innocent people who suffered injuries get what is truly owed to them. If you want to help people exercise their rights and you want to put justice above everything, becoming an attorney specializing in personal injury law might be the path you need to travel. But just like with any profession, becoming an injury lawyer takes time. Determine if you have the time to dedicate to become a lawyer and change your life by entering a fulfilling an exciting field that will always keep you on your toes.
Educational Requirements You Should Know
If you already possess a four-year degree, you are one step closer than those who do not. You need to possess a four-year degree before you can even consider applying for law school. If you are not enrolled in a four-year degree program, now is the time to go to your college and discuss all of the degree programs that are available. Even after you are done with your finals, you are going to need to pass the LSAT before a law school will accept you. Getting in law school is very similar to applying for a job. You need to prove yourself with a resume, pass aptitude tests, and only then can you take the courses you need to complete to become a personal injury attorney.
Completing Law School
Once you are accepted into a law school, you will spend about 3 years in school if you are enrolled full-time. If you do not have any college credits, you are looking at a 7 year commitment to become a lawyer, no matter what you want to specialize in. Make sure that you are willing to make the commitment and the investment in school before you even start submitting your applications.
What to Do While You Are In School
You obviously need to pay attention in every subject when you are attending law school. You will take classes that will focus on workers compensation laws, personal injury laws in each state, and even ethics. But what some students do not realize is that they will need to find a job to increase their chances of finding a job when they earn their law degree. It is a good idea to find a job at a law firm so that you can gain experience. Make sure you apply for clerk positions and legal assistant positions at personal injury firms and you can start networking before you are even a licensed attorney.
Passing Your Bar Exam
The bar exam is one of the most important tests you will take in your lifetime when you are studying to become a lawyer. You will need to show that you have comprehended everything you learned by passing the bar. After you pass the bar, you are officially a lawyer.
Most newly licensed attorneys will apply to work for firms where they will take common cases like slip and fall claims. After you get a reputation, you can consider opening your own firm and establishing your own rates.