Completing a high school diploma or GED is the first step toward becoming a lawyer. Maintaining good grades in high school will help students do well in college.
Future lawyers must complete a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college. No specific major is required, but basic courses in algebra, English, humanities, government and business will be helpful.
After earning a bachelor's degree, students must take the LSAT, or Law School Admission Test, and complete three years of law school. Law students will study core legal courses the first half of school and can specialize in one area of law such as criminal law, tax law or real estate law during the second part of law school.
To practice as a lawyer, you must pass the bar exam for the state you wish to practice in. Most states require you to pass an ethics exam as well. Nearly all states require the applicant to have graduated from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
Many states require new lawyers to pass the Multistate Performance Test, which tests lawyers' practical skills. Most U.S. jurisdictions also require the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, which tests knowledge of the law governing the professional conduct of lawyers.