WSBA Info For Lawyers For the Public For the Media ... Pamphlets Law School Have you ever considered becoming a lawyer? While you might think that lawyers spend all their time in the courtroom, many lawyers spend little, if any, time in the courtroom during their careers. Indeed, law practice is incredibly diverse, from daily courtroom drama to contract negotiations, overseeing real estate transactions, drafting wills, negotiating settlements, and representing clients on a variety of public-interest issues. Still others in the profession become prominent business leaders, political leaders, policy analysts, judges or law school professors. The law degree (known as a juris doctor, or JD) is a graduate degree that provides countless options for career choices upon its completion. Sound interesting? Then read on! The course of study for a law degree requires three years to complete. Some schools also offer part-time programs, and students in these programs generally take four years to complete their JDs. Upon completing a JD, a graduate must pass a state's bar examination before he or she is qualified to practice law in that state. In our state, the Washington State Bar Association administers the admissions, licensing and discipline functions for the 27,000-plus attorneys in the state. For more information about the Washington bar exam, see Bar Exam Undergraduate Studies Importantly, if you are planning to attend law school after graduating from college, you should choose an undergraduate major that is of interest to you. The myth that pre-law students must major in political science, history, philosophy, economics or business is just that  a myth. Many successful law students have earned their undergraduate degrees in fields such as the natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, music theory, art or education. Given that attorneys must represent the differing views of various individuals and interest groups, it is no surprise that diversity in experience is essential to the composition of both a law school community and the profession as a whole. | |
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