Instructions

• 1). Complete a four-year bachelor's degree course. Although, there is no prescribed prelaw major, prospective lawyers can take a multidisciplinary course that develops certain skills. Examples of these skills are public speaking, logical and analytical thinking and research. Taking courses that are closely related to a specific aspect of law such as political science, economics, and criminal justice can help students prepare for the defense law profession.
  
  
• 2). Take the Law School Admission Test or LSAT. This test will serve as a measurement if applicants' skills and abilities match the standard needed by law schools. Since admission to law schools is highly competitive, try to obtain a high test score. This score is one of the main bases of law schools for admission.
  
  
• 3). Apply to a set of law schools after considering their accreditation, location, requirements and fees. Part of the application is to submit certified transcripts and records to the Law School Data Assembly Service. This service which is conducted by The Law School Admission Council also gives the applicants' LSAT score to their chosen law schools.
  
  
• 4). Complete the required coursework to earn a law degree. Law school lasts for three years and most of them offer night or part-time classes. The first stage of schooling covers core courses such as legal writing constitutional law and other branches. In the later stage, students can choose a field of specialization. Law schools designed clinical or internship programs for students to acquire legal experience.
  
  
• 5). Obtain a license to practice law. This is done by passing the bar examination. The examination content and structure may vary among states. Majority of the states' bar examination is composed of a Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) and Multistate Essay Examination (MEE). Some states also require prospective attorneys to pass a Multistate Performance Test, Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) and/or a written ethic examination.
  
  
• 6). Apply for a defense attorney position in either the public or private sector. It is easier to get into the public sector because there are many people with minimum income who need the free services of defense lawyers. Compensation is considerably lower than private practice but it is a great way to jumpstart a law career because cases are abundant and court trial experience is maximized.
  
  
• 7). Choose and join a prestigious law firm after gaining a significant amount of experience and qualifications. Stay in the public defense sector if this is where your passion lies. Taking an advanced law degree is a great way to widen knowledge and expertise in practicing law.