Find a law school in your area that offers part-time degrees. Texas law schools that offer evening degrees include the University of Houston, the South Texas College of Law, the Texas Wesleyan School of Law, St Mary's University and the Southern Methodist (SMU) Dedman School of Law.
Ensure you have an appropriate academic background for the program. For example, the University of Houston requires applicants to hold a baccalaureate degree.
Register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website. You will need this to apply for a Law School Admission Test (LSAT), which is a prerequisite for law school applicants. You should also send in your undergraduate transcripts, recommendations and evaluations to the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) provided by LSAC, so they can supply this material to your chosen law school.
Ask two of your undergraduate professors to write you a letter of recommendation and fill in an evaluation form for you. Other sources of recommendations may be adequate, depending on the admission rules of the college. The LCAS website provides recommendation support and an online evaluation form for you to use, if desired. However, this service is not compulsory unless your chosen college asks for it. For example, the South Texas College of Law requires that applicants submit recommendations using this service.
Check the law schools on your list against the "U.S. News and World Report" rankings. This will give you an idea as to which one is the best for you, when you take into account the school's ranking and the practicality of the location of the school for you. For example, the 2010 rankings for part-time law schools puts the University of Houston in 10th place and the SMU Dedman School of Law in 13th place.
Take the LSAT prior to applying to a college. The LSAT is a half-day test administered four times a year in approved centers around the country. In Texas, the 39 centers include Texas Southern University, the University of Houston and SMU Dedman School of Law. The Law School Admission Council recommend taking the LSAT by December of the year before your chosen school's fall admission at the earliest. Check with your chosen college for expiry limits if you have already taken an LSAT.
Send in the documentation required by the college. Typically, this includes an application form, an application fee, a resume, a personal statement and proof of suitable immigration status for non-citizens. If the college does not accept transcripts, recommendations and evaluations through LCAS, attach these to your application.
File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This should be done online at the FAFSA website. If you are starting college in July, the deadline for applications will be at the end of June for Texan students. Your chosen college may also have deadlines for FAFSA applications. For example, as of January 2011, St. Mary's University instructs prospective students to complete the application by February 15th.
Check if the school offers scholarships to appropriate students. If your background fits the bill, apply for the scholarship. Colleges like St Mary's University automatically award scholarships based on the information contained in your application.
Pay any tuition fees necessary if you do not qualify for a scholarship. For example, 2011 SMU Dedman tuition fees for the first year of a part-time program are $31,485.