High school students who think they may someday wish to become lawyers should take on classes that focus on reading, writing and critical thinking. Upper level English classes, such as advanced placement English composition or English literature, highlight many of these skills. Upper level social studies classes such as psychology, history and sociology also aid with critical thinking skills. Not many high schools offer Latin, but it would be a useful tool for understanding legal terminology later on.
Choose a bachelor's degree that will emphasize writing and critical thinking skills. Common choices include English, a foreign language, communications, economics or political science. Choose coursework that will improve your public speaking ability, knowledge of political history, writing skills, reading comprehension and research ability. If you already know what specialized area of law you want to go into, also take that into consideration when choosing courses. For example, taking environmental science courses would be useful for someone seeking a degree in environmental law and policy.
Your first year of law school consists of basic courses focusing on broad legal information and skills needed by all future lawyers. These include classes on constitutional law, legal writing, property law and civil law. Here you'll learn the ins and outs of researching legal cases, preparing for court and all the facts on historically important cases.
Eventually you'll need to take classes specific to your desired area of specialization. Examples include criminal law, environmental law, international law, entertainment law and various types of business law, including bankruptcy and tax law.