Divorce attorneys are proficient in legal filings, asset separation and the child custody portions of marital termination and dissolution. These attorneys ensure that the rights of their clients are guarded throughout the separation process and help their clients to seek a fair settlement, as soon as the marriage is legally resolved. Travel is occasionally needed, and lengthy work hours are required.
Are interested in starting a career as a divorce lawyer? If so, here are the steps you need to get there:
The very first step in regards to becoming a legal divorce attorney is earning your bachelor’s degree. Law school acceptance does not require a major, however, aspiring attorneys may find many benefits from researching pre-law in an effort to obtain knowledge in legal concepts and to guarantee that all prerequisite classes are incorporated in your undergraduate study. The American Bar Association (ABA) implies that students pursue a multidisciplinary study that includes government, math and English.
On top of obtaining a bachelor’s degree, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that future attorneys partake in mock trials, administered by a local school or a lawyer’s office. Mock trials give students the opportunity to work beside authorized lawyers and learn how a typical court proceeding is conducted. For example, a professional Salt Lake city divorce lawyer may have law students present, during a mock trial, for the learning experience.
Future attorneys are required to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) as a portion of the law school entrance process. The LSAT exam utilizes multiple-choice questions to test the abilities of the students in analytical reasoning, reading apprehension and logical reasoning. A minimum LSAT score is required for acceptance into any law school.
Taking an LSAT prep course is the best way to prepare for the examination. There are many private institutions that provide tutoring alternatives for potential law students, which is truly an excellent investment for students that would like to achieve a high score on the LSAT exam.
Law school is a graduate program that starts with an extensive education in law and usually ends with individualized courses. To earn a law degree, it usually takes about three years of study. The law school of the student’s choice must be approved by the American Bar Association or by their state of legal practice.
Students will typically start their legal studies with courses in legal writing, contracts and even constitutional law. Once these courses are completed, student’s move on to courses such as family law, child custody and domestic violence. While attending law school, students are encouraged to collect research and publish articles for their school’s law journal in an effort to obtain valuable experience and become noticeable within the law program.
Attorneys are not given the authority to practice divorce law upon graduating from law school. That position is only received by completing and passing a state bar exam. Students become eligible to take the bar examination after finishing all bachelor degree coursework and graduating from law school. However, there are just a few states that grant students permission to complete the bar exam before graduating.
Students can also check with a local bar admissions office to find out which written bar examinations are accepted. The bar exam has to be taken in the exact state where a prospective divorce attorney chooses to practice in.
Continuing education is necessary in nearly every state for an attorney to retain bar status. The continuing education requirements vary by state, and must be completed each year, every two to three years. On top of guaranteeing that a divorce lawyer does not lose their bar status, continuing education can help lawyers stay updated with laws. Becoming a divorce attorney is very tedious yet rewarding experience.
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Lewis Robinson is a former CEO with experience starting and running several small software companies. He currently lives in Pocatello, ID, where he consults with small/medium businesses and start-ups all around the Mountain West. You can reach him through LinkedIn.