How one may progress or advance in a career in family law?
I was very curious because I plan on pursuing a career in family law. I would greatly appreciate any answers!
Thanks in advance. :]
In the USA, to become a Lawyer, IF you go to school full-time:
1) Bachelor’s degree – four years from a traditional college/university.
2) Study for LSAT. Take LSAT.
3) Law school – three MORE years.
4) Study for Bar Exam. Take Bar Exam in the state where you want to practice.
5) Pass the Character and Fitness Evaluation. Then you can practice Law.
BUT……..
6) You still have to take additional classes/seminars/legal training etc. each year to obtain CEUs to keep your license to practice Law. (You aren’t done with school!!)
7) In many states there are even laws requiring a certain percentage of your legal work to be "pro bono" (free of charge) for some charitable purpose.
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Lawyer-in-the-United-States
Warning> Jobs in the field of Law are drying up fast!! This no longer is a good field to invest time and/or money into. This is a SHRINKING, crumbling, and dying vocational field. Many, many reasons: We now have computers. So, many people today (mistakenly) think they can do their own legal work, thanks to the Internet and legal books. Also, there are a lot of companies out there making very efficient legal software for the field of Law. Today’s graduating lawyers tend to be very computer savvy, so they just do the work themselves to save themselves the cost of overhead – they aren’t hiring legal staff. Also, the "Public" buys this legal software/law books in order to get legal work done without the expense of an Attorney. Also, we simply already have way too many Legal Professionals – we just have an absolute glut!! ("Legal Professionals" includes, but is not limited to: Attorneys/Lawyers, Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc) For example: Sites like legalzoom.com have taken away work that many small-time attorneys/lawyers would do/used to do.
There are more attorneys than there are legal employment positions. We simply already have way too many Legal Professionals. AND the legal profession is dramatically changing: it is in absolute CRISIS! Job searching in this vocational field has changed >>DRAMATICALLY<< in the last five years. And, every year, more and more people graduate from law school, but there are fewer and fewer jobs. Even the largest and most reputable law firms are experiencing unprecedented cutbacks. I don’t expect the situation to improve in the coming years…..Even Associate Justice Antonin Scalia (who served on the U.S. Supreme Court for more than 20 years) says there are too many lawyers. (9/14/2008)
http://abovethelaw.com/2010/01/this-week-in-layoffs-01-23-10
Be aware of what you are proposing on getting yourself into. Please do more research first. Reminder: WE ARE STILL IN A WORLD-WIDE RECESSION. Obviously, economic conditions affect the number of jobs available. Consider career paths that have available JOBS.<< Even in a Recovery, there are some jobs that just won’t return – the field of Law won’t make a comeback. Too many things have changed in this vocational field.
(This is based on my current knowledge, information, belief, and life experiences. This was intended as personal opinion, and not intended to be used as legal advice. Please be careful and do your research.<<< You DID ask the question here on Y/A. I am just trying to help you.)
In the USA, to become a Lawyer, IF you go to school full-time:
1) Bachelor’s degree – four years from a traditional college/university.
2) Study for LSAT. Take LSAT.
3) Law school – three MORE years.
4) Study for Bar Exam. Take Bar Exam in the state where you want to practice.
5) Pass the Character and Fitness Evaluation. Then you can practice Law.
BUT……..
6) You still have to take additional classes/seminars/legal training etc. each year to obtain CEUs to keep your license to practice Law. (You aren’t done with school!!)
7) In many states there are even laws requiring a certain percentage of your legal work to be "pro bono" (free of charge) for some charitable purpose.
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Lawyer-in-the-United-States
Warning> Jobs in the field of Law are drying up fast!! This no longer is a good field to invest time and/or money into. This is a SHRINKING, crumbling, and dying vocational field. Many, many reasons: We now have computers. So, many people today (mistakenly) think they can do their own legal work, thanks to the Internet and legal books. Also, there are a lot of companies out there making very efficient legal software for the field of Law. Today’s graduating lawyers tend to be very computer savvy, so they just do the work themselves to save themselves the cost of overhead – they aren’t hiring legal staff. Also, the "Public" buys this legal software/law books in order to get legal work done without the expense of an Attorney. Also, we simply already have way too many Legal Professionals – we just have an absolute glut!! ("Legal Professionals" includes, but is not limited to: Attorneys/Lawyers, Paralegals, Legal Assistants, Legal Secretaries, Bailiffs, Court Reporters, etc, etc) For example: Sites like legalzoom.com have taken away work that many small-time attorneys/lawyers would do/used to do.
There are more attorneys than there are legal employment positions. We simply already have way too many Legal Professionals. AND the legal profession is dramatically changing: it is in absolute CRISIS! Job searching in this vocational field has changed >>DRAMATICALLY<< in the last five years. And, every year, more and more people graduate from law school, but there are fewer and fewer jobs. Even the largest and most reputable law firms are experiencing unprecedented cutbacks. I don’t expect the situation to improve in the coming years…..Even Associate Justice Antonin Scalia (who served on the U.S. Supreme Court for more than 20 years) says there are too many lawyers. (9/14/2008)
http://abovethelaw.com/2010/01/this-week-in-layoffs-01-23-10
Be aware of what you are proposing on getting yourself into. Please do more research first. Reminder: WE ARE STILL IN A WORLD-WIDE RECESSION. Obviously, economic conditions affect the number of jobs available. Consider career paths that have available JOBS.<< Even in a Recovery, there are some jobs that just won’t return – the field of Law won’t make a comeback. Too many things have changed in this vocational field.
(This is based on my current knowledge, information, belief, and life experiences. This was intended as personal opinion, and not intended to be used as legal advice. Please be careful and do your research.<<< You DID ask the question here on Y/A. I am just trying to help you.)
References :
life
have actually worked in the field of Law for twelve years
started at the very bottom rung and clawed my way up
now actually am a CURRENT employee of a law school, so I KNOW and see (too much?!?)
don’t have time to watch those TV law shows – the couple that I did watch weren’t realistic, at all
TV glamorizes the field of Law – Reminder: TV is FICTION!!! – do your research first! – the field of Law is actually a lot of paperwork and politics – and law school is VERY expensive, so know what you are getting into
wish someone would have warned ME sooner
so now I TRY to warn and help others (that actually want to know, will listen and not get defensive)
I am simply tired of watching students getting ripped off by law schools
so many students have come to me- upset because they could not find employment- I am just trying to warn as many as I can, and trying to fulfill a promise
I am answering you in good faith.