Becoming a lawyer isn’t an easy decision and selecting a very specific practice area isn’t an easy task either. In this post I will discuss with you the process of becoming a personal injury lawyer. Personal injury attorneys get a bad rap from the media and the lawyers that take any case to simply make an ‘easy’ dollar. What doesn’t get press is the individuals that are truly injured in an accident and deserve fair compensation. Too many times insurance companies try to settle with injured people for pennies on the dollar. Sometimes the injured individuals take the deal because they think its fair or they have yet to realize the cost associated with their sometimes life long injuries. As a personal Injury lawyer you can fight on the behalf of these individuals.
- First you have to decide that you want to become a lawyer (More info on How to become a lawyer can be read here.) Requirements for becoming a lawyer differ between states but the below requirements are necessary for most state.
- Individuals will want to pass high school with high grades. This will make it easier to get accepted into a four year college.
- Once admitted into college it’s once again advised to achieve high marks. You will need these in your efforts to get accepted into law school. While no specific degree is required to apply for law school individuals may be better off if they focus on pre-law or communications.
- After getting accepted to law school ( all states require law school with the exception of Colorado) you will want to not only graduate as high in your class as possible and focus on very specific personal injury law. You will also want to get real life experience. As a lawyer who wants to focus on personal injury look for internships with local law firms. Not only does this help build real life legal experience but also builds relationships which could make applying for jobs easier after graduating law school.
- After graduating from law school you will need to take the bar exam. Many people prefer to take bar exam prep courses as law school does not always prepare everyone to take the exam. This is a personal decision you will need to make.
CONGRATULATIONS! After fulfilling the 5 requirements above you will be ready to be sworn in as a licensed attorney. Your experience as an intern or law associate (read step 4 again) will help you increase your chance of getting into your preferred field. Make sure to utilize your contacts when applying for your position as a personal injury lawyer. As a personal injury attorney you have now reached a point in your legal career where you will be able to help victims. Always remember that you’re there to fight for the rights your clients don’t always know they have. Doing this will ultimately make you a successful and well liked attorney.
