How long does it take to become a lawyer and what schooling

POST SPLIT TO STUDENT FORUM BY JOEC

How long does it take to become a lawyer and what schooling is involved?

nckrystalblue wrote:Cool, thanks.

what about this?

Nearly unrelated question...
How long does it take to become a lawyer and what schooling is involved?

*PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE*

For full-time students, most law schools are usually a 3-year program. Part-time (i.e. evening) programs are usually 4 years. In addition to these breakdowns, these schols are also broken out as being either ABA (American Bar Association) accredited or non-accredited schools. Most States require an individual to have completed a degree program at an ABA accredited school to be eligible to sit for that state's bar exam. I believe that California and Texas are 2 states that do not require an individual to have graduated from an ABA accredited school in order to sit for the bar exam.

Most law schools require an applicant to have taken the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) as part of the application process.

If you are interested in law school, your best option is to go to the closest law school and sit down with someone from the admissions office to talk about specifics.

I hope that helps.

Mr. Pink

1) Bachelors Degree from an accredited institution
2) LSAT test score (taken in the last five years)
3) Registration with LSAC
4) Registration with LSDAS
5) Admission into an ABA accredited law school (3 years full time 4 years part time)
6) Usually passing the MPRE
7) Passing the bar

That's what I thought - it's 3-4 years after a Bachelor's but I wasn't 100% sure. Anyone ever do it after 40 and start their careers at 50? LOL At least the benefit to that is having life experience behind you and not being a careless risk taker as 20-somethings tend to be.

What about Paralegals... what do they do and how long is their schooling?

Yea Eric the guy that answered your post. All though we are still waiting to see if he passed the bar exam.
JoeC (McGruff)

nckrystalblue wrote:That's what I thought - it's 3-4 years after a Bachelor's but I wasn't 100% sure. Anyone ever do it after 40 and start their careers at 50? LOL At least the benefit to that is having life experience behind you and not being a careless risk taker as 20-somethings tend to be.

What about Paralegals... what do they do and how long is their schooling?

I started undergrad work at 45, graduated from the National Labor College/Cornell ILR program when I was 48, started law school that year and now I am starting my third year at Rutgers Law next month. I wont graduate until I'm 52 and will probably get my license sometime around the time I turn 53.

Eric