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Steps to Becoming a Lawyer in AZ
Learning more about the process of becoming a lawyer can give you insights that will help you better evaluate any lawyer that you are considering hiring to represent you. You’ll understand exactly what those educational credentials represent, as well as how that experience stacks up to someone else’s experience.
The steps to becoming a lawyer in Arizona are mostly the same as they are anywhere else in the country. Here’s what someone has to do to become a lawyer in Arizona:
Complete an Undergraduate Degree
A law degree is a professional degree, so before anyone can begin this advanced training, they must first complete an undergraduate degree. A person who wants to become a lawyer can complete any course of study as an undergraduate. Law schools do not require a specific undergraduate degree for entry. That means that people who study chemistry can be admitted just like people who study French literature or sports medicine.
Students who know that they want to become lawyers eventually may choose to study a curriculum that better prepares them for law school. Some undergraduate programs have a specific pre-law program, but there is no “pre-law” degree. Instead, the program includes a variety of classes that may go toward a degree such as political science or history.
Take the LSAT
Every person who wants to attend law school must take the Law School Admission Test. The test does not measure a person’s understanding of the law. Instead, it tests analytical ability, such as logic and reasoning. The test includes four sections, including reading comprehension, analytical reasoning and logical reasoning. The fourth section is a wild card, and it does not count toward the score. However, test takers do not know which section is the ungraded section.
The LSAT is scored up to 180. Ivy League schools like Harvard and Yale take students who have scored in ranges around 166 and up. The lower your score, the lower the quality of school to which you are likely to be admitted.
Go to Law School
Law school lasts three years. There is no “major” by which students can choose to specialize in a particular area of law. Instead, they specialize by taking specific courses, working on journals, completing internships and externships, getting summer law work and participating in volunteer work and extracurricular activities.
The better the law school that a person attends, the better the opportunities for employment after graduation.
Pass the Arizona State Bar
Simply graduating from law school is not enough to qualify someone for working as a lawyer. In order to practice law, a person has to pass the Arizona State Bar, which is a rigorous and comprehensive examination of a person’s legal knowledge. The Bar exam covers all aspects of state and federal law.
Those who do not pass the Bar exam are not legally permitted to practice law in the state of Arizona — or any other state in the country. Those who pass the Bar exam in Arizona are only permitted to practice in Arizona. They must pass the Bar exam of another state before they can practice elsewhere.
Becoming a lawyer is a long and arduous undertaking. Yet the process is designed to ensure that those who practice law are fully prepared for the gravity of the responsibility that they bear. The team at My AZ Lawyers have all received exceptional training in their path to become a lawyer, including attending high-quality law schools and passing the state’s rigorous Bar exam. Our lawyers also have years of experience within their respective fields. When you hire an attorney with My AZ Lawyers, you can feel confident knowing that you are in good hands and that you have a strong legal ally helping you to fight for your rights.
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Mesa Location:
1731 West Baseline Rd., Suite #100
Mesa, AZ 85202
Office: (480) 448-9800
Glendale Location:
20325 N 51st Avenue Suite #134, Building 5
Glendale, AZ 85308
Office: (602) 509-0955
Tucson Location:
2 East Congress St., Suite #900-6A
Tucson, AZ 85701
Office: (520) 441-1450
Avondale Location:
12725 W. Indian School Rd., Ste E, #101
Avondale, AZ 85392
Office: (623) 399-4222
