Law Degrees

What is a Law Degree?

Lawyers are the men and women who study the legal system and apply that knowledge to uphold the highest level of ethical treatment for the citizens of our society. Most importantly, they perform two major roles, that of an advocate and that of an adviser.

As an advocate, lawyers take court cases and argue for their client in a court of law. They use their deep knowledge of laws and court precedents in order to persuade a judge or jury.  As an adviser, a lawyer will meet with their client in order to inform them of their rights, duties, or to prescribe a course of action for their client to take in order to not face legal action.

Because of the enormous number of laws and regulations, lawyers must specialize in a particular field of study. For every regulated industry, there is a lawyer who specializes in that field. To further specialize, some lawyers work as trial lawyers. They spend the majority of their time researching and speaking with clients.

Also, lawyers must decide if they want to concentrate on criminal or civil law. The former focuses on individuals charged with crimes, the latter deals with litigation, wills, trusts, contracts, etc. Regardless of specification all lawyers spend a lot of their time in law libraries preparing cases using computer research and printed sources.

Lawyers work in offices, law libraries, courtrooms, or sometimes a client's home or place of business. It is not unusual for a lawyer to work long hours. High-pressure cases could extend work hours and be highly stressful. A successful lawyer must be able to handle stress. Lawyers who are responsible, good public speakers, effective communicators, and are strong problem solvers will have the most success.

How can I get a Law Degree?

To become a lawyer, you typically must attend four years of undergraduate study followed by three years of law school. While earning your law degree you will take courses such as: administrative law, criminal law, legal philosophy, and environmental law. Once you complete the necessary courses you will have to pass the bar exam in your state. There is unlimited potential for advancement in this field as your employers and clientele improve with experience. Most lawyers earn over $100,000 a year with top performers earning double that amount.

Do what's right, apply to become a lawyer.