Register with the LSAC. Assuming you have an undergraduate degree, the first step to a J.D. is registration with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), which is designed as an online hub for law school applications. Here you will store letters of recommendation, fill out applications, register for the LSAT and obtain need-based application fee waivers.
Take the LSAT. Though some exceptions are occasionally made for students without undergraduate degrees in certain states, all major institutions require the Law School Admission Test. With a maximum score of 180, scores above 160 will generally earn acceptance to an accredited law school, though top institutions are considerably more competitive.
Get accepted. The applications process can be tedious and time-consuming, but it's important to follow the procedure for each school down to the most minute detail. Ideally, apply only to ABA-accredited schools, since only a minority of states allow for entrance to the bar by alternative means. See the Permitted Means of Legal Study in the resource section below.
Finance your education. One of the major limiting factors to any higher education is financing. While federal loans can usually be taken out to cover the costs of law school, many breadwinners find it difficult or impossible to provide for their family while getting a legal education. Some programs, however, do offer night-school or part-time study, allowing students to work while completing their legal studies over five instead of three years.
Successfully complete course work. Each state sets forth its class hours requirement for a Juris Doctorate degree, though the typical course load for a first-year student includes Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law and Criminal Law. Law school is an intellectually demanding endeavor that requires not only book learning but also communication skills. Most classes follow a Socratic method that involves dialogue and places a premium on participation.