A high school diploma or GED from an accredited school is required before you will be accepted into an undergraduate program. Students should note that online schools are not necessarily accredited, and should investigate accreditation before applying.
A four-year undergraduate program is required for all prospective law students. There is no set standard or curriculum regarding an undergraduate program in law--that part is taken care of in law school. Students are free to choose their own curriculum, though there are a number of courses that lend themselves well to the field of law. English, government, economics, history and computer science are all relevant skills for a student of law.
After graduating from an undergraduate program with a bachelor's degree in their choice of major, prospective law students will be eligible to apply for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) that is needed to enter law school. All students who wish to enter a law school that has been approved by the American Bar Association must pass this test.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were only 200 law schools in the United States that have been accredited by the ABA. Other law schools, accredited by state and local governments also exist. Law school is a three or four year program that is focused entirely on legal education. During this time, students will learn the fundamentals of law. This includes legal writing, constitutional law and civil procedure. Upon successful graduation, law school students will be awarded a juris doctor degree.
A bar exam will be required by graduates who wish to practice law in a United States courtroom, and every state requires successful completion of this exam. Certain states may also require law students to pass an ethics examination, a Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) or a Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE).
Many states require lawyers to stay updated on the recent developments and updates concerning their particular fields of law. These courses can be found through law schools, state bar associations and even on the Internet.
Specialized courses are also available to law students during their time at law school. These specialized courses are focused directly on one particular aspect of the law, such as environmental, digital, corporate, educational, employment, immigration and tax law.