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What do I need to start doing to become a successful lawyer ?
What should I be doing as an aspiring lawyer?
1. Internships
2. Take LSAT classes
3. Read Law books
A lot of these options are obvious but I want to take the best first step.
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Kim’s Answer
Emmanuella,
To be a successful lawyer, one must first be a lawyer! So, I would recommend you focus on how to be a successful law school student first. And, that sort of depends on where you are in your academic journey. I would not worry about reading law books. Law school will teach you the law. Things I would work on mastering, to some degree, in no particular order:
1. public speaking, speech class, Toastmasters group
2. Debate
3. English grammar - there are cases that hinge on interpreting what the written law says, and, honestly, I was an A/B student, but couldn't make sense of those cases
4. the use of Latin in vocabulary
5. Acting, theatrics
6. Logic - taught in college in the Philosophy Department
7. Legal writing is totally different than anything you will learn before law school, but it doesn't hurt to try to get good at writing anyway
8. A well-rounded foundation in all subjects from world history to accounting to science - they seem to pop up in the strangest of ways in cases
9. A SOLID foundation in technology - ability to get around in word, excel, powerpoint, as a minimum, use of data bases, etc.
10. Figure out YOU - your body - what techniques work best for you when it comes to studying, when are you half asleep, when are you most awake? Develop an understanding of nutrition, hydration, sleep, and exercise. You will need to be at optimal performance in law school.
11. MASTER organizational skills and time management
12. Figure out how to manage your life in the least complicated way - cooking, laundry, bill paying, etc. so you don't have to devote time to such things in law school
13. Work hard to get good grades in college, belong to organizations on and off campus, and do things that show leadership and community involvement
Now, not everyone who starts out to be a lawyer ends up becoming one. So, for a college major, figure out what you might like to do if you aren't in law school, and major in that. If you are already in college, this may not pertain to you.
As to what you should do first, that depends on what level of schooling you are currently in. A lot of these can be worked on simultaneously. You will need to MASTER the "logic games" on the LSAT, so you might want to look at those and start working on that as well.
good luck!
To be a successful lawyer, one must first be a lawyer! So, I would recommend you focus on how to be a successful law school student first. And, that sort of depends on where you are in your academic journey. I would not worry about reading law books. Law school will teach you the law. Things I would work on mastering, to some degree, in no particular order:
1. public speaking, speech class, Toastmasters group
2. Debate
3. English grammar - there are cases that hinge on interpreting what the written law says, and, honestly, I was an A/B student, but couldn't make sense of those cases
4. the use of Latin in vocabulary
5. Acting, theatrics
6. Logic - taught in college in the Philosophy Department
7. Legal writing is totally different than anything you will learn before law school, but it doesn't hurt to try to get good at writing anyway
8. A well-rounded foundation in all subjects from world history to accounting to science - they seem to pop up in the strangest of ways in cases
9. A SOLID foundation in technology - ability to get around in word, excel, powerpoint, as a minimum, use of data bases, etc.
10. Figure out YOU - your body - what techniques work best for you when it comes to studying, when are you half asleep, when are you most awake? Develop an understanding of nutrition, hydration, sleep, and exercise. You will need to be at optimal performance in law school.
11. MASTER organizational skills and time management
12. Figure out how to manage your life in the least complicated way - cooking, laundry, bill paying, etc. so you don't have to devote time to such things in law school
13. Work hard to get good grades in college, belong to organizations on and off campus, and do things that show leadership and community involvement
Now, not everyone who starts out to be a lawyer ends up becoming one. So, for a college major, figure out what you might like to do if you aren't in law school, and major in that. If you are already in college, this may not pertain to you.
As to what you should do first, that depends on what level of schooling you are currently in. A lot of these can be worked on simultaneously. You will need to MASTER the "logic games" on the LSAT, so you might want to look at those and start working on that as well.
good luck!