LAW AS A CAREER:

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

BEFORE APPLYING TO
LAW SCHOOL

Law as a Career:

What You Should Know Before

Applying to Law School
The lawyers role
Today, more than ever before, the legal profession offers a unique
opportunity for the dedicated individual to make a significant contribution to society. This brochure is intended to help you evaluate
law as a career. It should give you a better idea of what to expect on
an educational path to a law degree and the very significant financial
costs associated with obtaining a law degree.
The lawyer in our society is both a professional and an officer of the
court, charged with the responsibility of working within the framework of American law, which is based upon federal and state constitutions, written legislation and case decisions issued by the courts.
In the United States, a lawyer has a dual role as advocate and as advisor. As an advocate, a lawyer assists in the administration of justice.
American courts operate under the adversary system in which parties
to a disagreement in a civil matter, or the prosecution and defense in
a criminal case, present their different points of view to an impartial
judge and jury. Lawyers, who are licensed by the Alabama State Bar,
are qualified to present other peoples cases through written and oral
arguments and application of appropriate laws, procedures and rules
of evidence.
As an advisor, the lawyer helps clients comply with the law by counseling them regarding the legal consequences of proposed actions,
by drafting legal arrangements that comply with the law and by
advising them concerning their rights and obligations in dealing with
other people.

LAW AS A CAREER: LAW SCHOOL

In addition to their normal professional duties, lawyers are expected

to devote time to improvement of the profession and to public
service activities such as providing free legal services to those who
cannot afford to pay.

What qualities are necessary to become a lawyer?

Before choosing law as a career you must evaluate your abilities,
work inclinations and personal goals. The qualities most desirable to
be a good lawyer are dedication, motivation and the willingness to
work long hours. Other important qualities center on self-discipline,
the ability to communicate well, including a good and thorough
knowledge of the English language and the ability to write clearly
and concisely.
Temperament is also vital because often it is necessary to work under
pressure of tight deadlines, to have the patience to spend numerous
hours researching a single point of law and to carefully analyze facts
and marshal them to create a persuasive argument. Patience and
understanding in listening to adversaries as well as to clients and witnesses is equally important.

Not all lawyers spend time in a courtroom. Some lawyers write letters
and memoranda; others research legal issues and draft contracts,
deeds, wills, corporate bylaws and legislation; and others counsel, mediate, negotiate, etc. If you think you would be interested in a career
as a trial lawyer, you will need the ability to think quickly on your feet,
to speak extemporaneously and with authority in public, to be detailoriented and to understand courtroom strategy.
A law career may provide an opportunity to earn substantial income
and can lead to a position of influence and authority. Frequently, a
lawyers greatest satisfaction comes through the genuine desire to
help people in trouble by giving them the assurance that their legal
rights will he protected.

What type of education is required?

In Alabama, access to practicing law begins with graduation from
high school followed by receipt of a degree from a four-year college
(although it is possible to be accepted to law school after only three
years of college). This may be in the form of either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts degree. There is no required or suggested
course of study for prelaw students.
Many law schools suggest that the broadest possible undergraduate education will be the most helpful. Courses which develop skills
utilized in law school and legal work, such as an ability to think in an
organized fashion, a command of the English language and the ability to work well with others, should be considered.
The PreLaw Handbook, published by the Law School Admission
Council (see Resources), recommends rigorous courses that help
develop critical thinking, as well as analytical, writing and verbal skills.
Language is the tool of the lawyer-whether it is oral argument, for
example, in court or talking to clients, or is in written form in letters,
legal briefs or court pleadings. Therefore, any course that develops
this skill is valuable.
A legal education is different enough from everything which precedes it in that no one course (such as business law) will prepare
you for it; but any course (for example, philosophy and logic) which
stimulates your thinking or gives you insights into some types of legal
questions that lawyers face will surely be beneficial. The self-discipline
and study habits required in law school should be developed in high
school and carried through college.

Note: Applying to law school and taking the LSAT should be completed at least six months and up to one year, before enrollment. Registration information, materials and a full-length sample of the LSAT
is available from Law School Admission Services, Box 2000, Newtown,
Pennsylvania 18940. http://www.lsac.org

How do I choose a law school?

You should base the selection on your individual needs. Location is a
factor, especially if you prefer attending school in a city or state where
you are interested in setting up your practice. Cost considerations will
determine your choice of an out-of-state public school or a private
school where tuition will be higher than in-state schools. If you are
accepted by more than one school, consider the comparative public
reputations of the schools, since reputation may affect demand for
graduates with employers.

How do I get into law school?

Competition for law school admission is keen. Your grade point
average in college and scores on the LSAT are the two major determining factors for admission to most law schools. Many schools have
other considerations that may include quality and relative rank in
the graduating class of the particular college you attended; course of
study and difficulty of curriculum followed; college activities; moral
character; and motivation and personality of applicant, as revealed in
a letter of application. The point is, law schools seek to have a diverse
student body, well-qualified to stand the rigor of the study of law.

What is law school like?

The normal law school course of study is usually completed in three
years (full-time) or four years (part-time). While the teaching approaches may differ among Alabama law schools, the first year of
study generally is filled with required courses in such subject areas
as contracts, constitutional law, torts, criminal law, legal writing, civil
procedure, remedies and property.
Most law school classes use the case-method of teaching, which
involves detailed examination of a number of related, sometimes
contradictory judicial opinions and which relies heavily on studentfaculty interchange.
The purpose of such regimentation is to familiarize the new law
student with various aspects of legal theory and method. In the remaining two years, students may choose a particular area of interest.
Options may include corporate law, labor law, bankruptcy law, family
law, juvenile law, trusts and estates law, administrative law, environmental law, litigation technique, tax law and negotiation. Many law
schools now have clinical programs which offer students direct experience in actual legal practice, sometimes appearing in court or before
administrative agencies representing actual clients.

LAW AS A CAREER: LAW SCHOOL

Among the individual courses that can be considered are analytical

writing, English language and literature, political science, government, economics, accounting, history, philosophy, logic, scientific
method and public speaking. In your final year of college you will be
required to take a standardized test called the Law School Admissions Test, also referred to as the LSAT. This is a nationwide examination given several times annually that tests a students analytical
skills in such areas as logic, reading comprehension, etc. By obtaining
information on law school programs, entrance standards and costs
well in advance of application deadlines, you will have time to review
the curriculum and talk to lawyers in your community about those
schools.

Realize that competition to enter law school is stringent. It may be

wise to have more than one school in mind when you apply. There are
five law schools in Alabama and three of them are accredited by the
American Bar Association (refer to the last section of this brochure for
the names and addresses of these schools).

Participation in extracurricular activities can help a student prepare

for a career in law. Moot court and trial/appellate advocacy competitions help sharpen writing and oral advocacy skills; client counseling
competitions build problem-solving abilities; and a position on a law
review publication can help a student develop analytical research and
writing skills. Joining a special-interest club, such as an international
law club, can bring the student into contact with current problems in
the law and practitioners in the field.

What kind of debt will I have after law school?

The total cost of a JD degree can easily top $150,000 at the most
expensive schools, once you factor in living expenses. (And thats
not counting lost income, since you wont be working full-time while
youre in school.)
Like other graduate-school education, the cost of a legal education
is substantial. The amount varies from school to school and whether
the law school is a public or private institution. Before embarking on a
legal education, you should carefully plan how you will pay for it.

What should I consider when selecting a law school?

According to the National Association for Law Placement, obtaining a
degree from an ABA-accredited law school is not cheap. Over the last
twenty-five years, law school tuition has consistently risen twice as
fast as inflation.
The average tuition at private law schools in 2008 was $34,298; the
average in-state tuition for public law schools was $16,836. Add in

LAW AS A CAREER: LAW SCHOOL

What will law

school cost?

books and living expenses to tuition, and the average public law
school student borrows $71,436, while the average private law school
student borrows $91,506. Many students borrow far more than
$100,000, and these numbers do not even include debt that students
may still carry from their undergraduate years.
In 2011, 58 percent of those persons taking the July bar exam in
Alabama had outstanding loans that averaged $101,400. A number of
those taking the bar exam had education loans in excess of $200,000.

Admission to the bar

After graduating from law school, you must gain admission to the
Alabama State Bar in order to practice law. In addition to a law
degree, applicants for admission are required to possess good moral
character and fitness (i.e., law abiding, free from alcohol or drug
dependency) and successfully complete a written examination. NOTE:
Before taking the bar exam a Committee on Character and Fitness will
review your application and determine whether or not you will need
to be interviewed. Once your application has been approved, you will
be allowed to take the bar examination.
The written exam is administered by the Board of Bar Examiners
and is given twice each year in February and July. This exam is taken
over a 2 1/2 -day period. The first day is a half day exam consisting
of Alabama essay questions which require application of state law
to a series of complex fact patterns. The second day consists of the
Multistate Essays (MEE) and Multistate Practice Tests (MPT) and the
third day is the Multistate Bar Examination which is a multiple-choice

test that covers subjects applicable in all states. While it is not a part of
the bar exam, you must take the Multistate Professional Responsibility
Examination (MPRE) which deals with law ethics issues. Upon successful completion of the bar examination you will be admitted to the
practice of law before the Alabama Bar.

such activities as appearing at hearings conducted by a regulatory

agency, prosecuting criminal defendants, representing a government
agency in court, drafting regulations or ordinances and evaluating
and formulating the legal aspects of policy and other decisions made
by a governing body or its chief administrator.

Ethical obligations of attorneys

Public interest law is the name that has been given to efforts to
provide representation to interests of people who historically have
been unrepresented or underrepresented in the legal process. These
include interests of the poor and disadvantaged who have lacked
access to courts, administrative agencies and other forums in which
basic policy decisions affecting them are made. Public interest lawyers try to provide systematic representation to these individuals and
groups to assure that their positions are understood by decision-makers. The most frequently encountered public interest law office in
Alabama is the local legal aid program. Many lawyers volunteer time
without compensation for such activities, which is called pro bono.

Lawyers are governed by codes of professional conduct. In Alabama,

the Alabama Supreme Court has adopted the Rules of Professional
Conduct as the minimum standard of conduct for lawyers. A violation of the disciplinary rules may result in a disciplinary proceeding
against the lawyer, which could result in censure, suspension or
disbarment.

Opportunities for women and minorities

The number of women and minority group members attending law
school has grown in recent decades. According to a study conducted
by the American Bar Association, in comparing enrollment for Fall
2007-2008, the number of women entering law school increased
to 23,165, which represented 46 percent of total first year students.
That same study found more than 30,598 JD enrollment for minority
students. This constituted 21.6 percent of total minority JD student
enrollment. The recent downturn in the economy means that opportunities for careers in law fell dramatically, as recruiters for government, law firms and corporations cut back.
The Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) sponsors a
program designed to increase the number of economically and
educationally disadvantaged persons in law school. Financial aid
for this program comes primarily from government sources. Further
information can be obtained by writing CLEO at 1800 M Street N.W.,
Washington, DC 20036.

What kind of careers are available?

Private practice ranges from practicing law alone to associating with
a firm with as many as 100 or more attorneys. The private practitioner
may be a trial lawyer, or may be engaged in an office practice which
might include the preparation of contracts, deeds, wills and other
legal documents and preparing written opinions and advice for the
client. An attorney in a small firm often must be a jack-of-all-trades
in order to handle a variety of cases, attorneys in larger firms often
concentrate in limited areas of practice such as tax law or trusts and
estates.

Many corporations, especially smaller ones, without a legal staff, rely

on private practitioners to draft corporate documents and contracts,
litigate for them and the like.

Government employment at the federal, state or local level involves

Military service in the legal offices of the armed services may provide
a wide variety of legal experiences and the chance to live in many
places. Military legal offices may be small or large and may offer the
opportunity to gain valuable experience in specialty areas.
Legal clinics have been established, either as individual operations or
part of a national network. As a rule, clinics offer basic legal services to
individuals for set fees.
Major urban areas offer a wide variety of jobs but competition is
great. Suburban law practices have also grown rapidly. In addition,
lawyers are often needed in rural communities. For information about
rural practice, write the Rural Education Association, Colorado State
University, Ft. Collins, CO 80523.
Other opportunities include use of a law degree in fields such as
journalism, law enforcement, industry, advertising, banking, politics,
public administration and accounting. Some graduates will choose to
start out in one of these areas with a goal of eventually practicing law,
while others will move into these areas after an initial period of law
practice.

What are my chances of getting hired after graduation?

Job hunting is always competitive because approximately 650
new lawyers are licensed in Alabama each year. Opportunities vary
from area to area, with the most attractive openings having many
applicants. The strongest competition for job openings is in large
cities, while smaller towns tend to offer more opportunity. Graduates
should consider a full range of employment options to be successful
in their job search.

LAW AS A CAREER: LAW SCHOOL

Corporate staff law usually means employment in the legal department of a large business, performing legal work as varied as the
activities of the company. If the house counsel staff is large and the
activities of the enterprise diverse, the members of the staff may
concentrate just as in a large law firm.

Academic positions can include teaching in law schools and positions

at universities and colleges offering law-related courses such as law
enforcement, business law and real property law. Other academic
positions include law librarians, editors and administrators.

Nonlawyer careers in the law

Legal assistants, also known as paralegals, are assistants to lawyers.
They interview clients, conduct legal research and draft legal documents under the supervision of lawyers. There are about 100,000
legal assistants in the U.S. Many colleges, as well as for-profit private
schools, offer paralegal training. The Web site for the ABA Standing
Committee on Legal Assistants has helpful information (http://www.
abanet.org/legalservices/paralegals).
Mediators help people resolve disputes without going to court. They
meet with the people involved, listen to the problem, discuss options
and help the parties come to agreement. Mediation is a rapidly growing field. Mediators are often lawyers, social workers or mental health
professionals who have participated in a mediation training program.
Court reporters are court workers who record everything said as part
of the formal trial (There are nearly 50,000 court reporters in the U.S.).
Court reporting is taught at about 250 colleges and private business
schools. Training programs generally take two to four years, a high
school diploma and strong English skills are a must. For a listing of
schools approved by the National Court Reporters Association see
their Web site http://www.ncraonline.org).

LAW AS A CAREER: LAW SCHOOL

Law-related job areas that do not require a license include trust work
at banks, public administration, law enforcement and criminal justice
and judicial administration.

Can I be involved in law-related work without a

license to practice law?
Without a license to practice law in Alabama, a person cannot give
legal advice, represent persons in court, or handle many other legal
matters.

About the Alabama State Bar

With more than 17,000 members, the Alabama State Bar is the official
statewide organization of lawyers in Alabama. Since 1923, when
the Alabama State Bar was created by an act of the legislature, ASB
programs and activities have continuously served the public and
improved the justice system for more than 80 years.
The Alabama State Bar is dedicated to promoting the professional
responsibility and competence of its members, improving the
administration of justice and increasing the public understanding
of and respect for the law. The values that guide the state bar are:
trust, integrity and service. The ASB has long served a dual role as an
advocate for the profession and for the public. Often it is difficult to
separate these two responsibilities, but during the last few decades
with the growing complexity of society and our legal system, the
ASBs public role has gained both emphasis and breadth.
Since its creation as an integrated bar association, the ASB has initiated programs addressing a wide range of public concerns; from
merit selection of judges to securing adequate funding for representing indigent defendants; from ensuring that non-lawyers sit on disciplinary panels to encouraging the use of mediation as an alternative
method of dispute resolution.

State Bar positions play an influential role in determining public and

social policy in state and national forums. The Alabama State Bar is
composed principally of practicing attorneys, judges, law teachers
and non-practicing lawyers who are business executives, government
officials, court administrators and so forth. It represents practitioners
in specialized areas of law, as well as affiliated, law-related organizations and groups with special interests or needs. The state bar serves
as the voice of the legal practitioner in Alabama. It proposes model
rules of professional responsibility (which govern the daily business
and ethical practice of lawyers) for adoption by the Alabama Supreme
Court.

How can I learn more about the legal profession?

You can learn firsthand about a lawyers duties by observing trials at
your local courthouse or by discussing with a lawyer his or her daily
activities. Your high school also may have law-related education
courses or activities. Consider volunteer work involving counseling
and assisting people to test your abilities to deal with other peoples
problems.

LAW AS A CAREER: LAW SCHOOL

Job Options for Lawyers and Law School Graduates

Positions Practicing Law:

contract (temporary or freelance) lawyer

department manager
managing attorney
managing partner
non-equity partner
participating attorney
partner
partnership track associate
of counsel
public, pro bono or public service counsel
referral attorney
staff attorney
special counsel

LAW AS A CAREER: LAW SCHOOL

Areas of Practice:

administrative
adoption
agricultural
alternative dispute resolution
antitrust
appellate
banking
bankruptcy
biomedical issues
bond
business organization
commercial finance
commercial litigation
commercial banking
communications
computer
constitutional
construction
copyright
corporate
corporate reorganization
disciplinary action by licensing boards
discrimination
domestic relations
elder
employee benefits
employment
employment relations
energy
entertainment
environmental
estate planning
family
franchising
general practice
governmental relations/lobbying
guardianship
health care
immigration
insurance

insurance defense
intellectual property
international finance
international labor
litigation
lobbying
matrimonial
mergers & acquisitions
natural resources
patent
pensions
probate
public contracts
public utility
real estate
Social Security
sports
taxation
trademark
transportation
trust
workers compensation

Law-Related Positions:
client services manager
director of business development
director of client relations
director of management and legal information services
director of practice development
director of professional development
director of training (clerical/paralegal)
firm manager
in-house corporate communications
in-house editor
law firm administrator
law librarian
legal assistant manager
marketing manager
paralegal/legal assistant
personnel director
professional development training officer
public relations director
recruiting administrator director
strategic planner
Source: Deborah Arron, What Can You Do With A Law Degree? Page 342

Resources

Inside the Law Schools. Cassidy and Goldfarb. 7th Edition.

Online services for those contemplating a law career include American Bar Association, Alabama State Bar and Law School Admissions
Council.

One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School.
08/98. Turow, Scott.

Check your local library for these and other helpful

books on the legal profession:

Slaying the Law School Dragon: How to Survive - and Thrive - in First Year
Law School, 2nd edition. New York, Dodd, Mead, 1991. Roth, George.

Arron, Deborah. What Can You Do With a Law Degree? A Lawyers Guide
to Career Alternatives Inside, Outside & Around the Law, Niche Press,
1999.

The Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools, 2004 edition. American Bar Association and Law School Admission Council. Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements. Online edition (http://
officialguide.lsac.org).

Hegland, Kenney F. Introduction to the Study and Practice of Law in a

Nutshell, West Publishing Co., 2000.
Cassidy, Carol-June and Goldfarb, Sally F. Inside the Law Schools: A
Guide by Students, for Students, New York, Dutton, 1997.
The Lure of the Law: Why People Become Lawyers and What the Profession Does to Them. New York, Penguin USA, (paper): Reprint edition
(August, 1991), Moll, Richard W.

Preparing for a Legal Career:

A Life in the Law. You can download a copy of this pamphlet http://www.abanet.org/publiced/1999.pdf
You can find more about legal careers in this ABA booklet. To order,
call 800-285-2221.
Becoming a Lawyer: A Humanistic Perspective on Legal Education and
Professionalism. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Co., 1991. Dvorkin,
Elizabeth.
Lawyers in the Making. Greenwood Press, Westport, CT., Greenwood
Press Reprint, 2003. Warkov, Seymour.
Prelaw Handbook. Law School Admission Services, Box 2000, Newtown, PA,, 18940. Revised annually. A discussion of prelaw and law
study. Also contains a list of law schools, giving a two-page summary
of each.
The African American Pre-Law Advice Guide: Things You Really Need to
Know Before Applying. Hopes Promise Publishing (2002). Mitchell,
Evangeline.

Books About Lawyering:

A Civil Action. New York, Random House, 1996. A riveting true-life story
of a nine-year-long liability lawsuit brought by eight Massachusetts
families against two multibillion dollar corporations. Harr, Jonathan.
A Womens Guide to Law School: Everything You Need to Know to Survive
and Succeed in Law School. (1999). Hirshmann, Linda R.
Gideons Trumpet. New York: Vintage Books, 1964. The true story of
how one mans case changed the laws of the United States regarding the rights of the poor to be represented by an attorney. Lewis,
Anthony.
In Search of Atticus Finch: Seville Publishing. (1996). Papantonio, Mike.
Law 101: Everything You Need to Know About the American Legal System. Oxford University Press (2000). Feinman, Jay M.
Letters From Law School: The Life of a Second Year Law Student. Writers
Club Press, Lincoln NE, 2000, 259 pages. Dieker, Lawrence Jr.
Take the Bar and Beat Me: An Irreverent Look at Law School and Career
Choices for Pre-Laws, Law Students, Paralegals And the People Who
Once Loved Them. Hawthorne, NJ, Career Press, 1991. Woodcock,
Raymond L.
The Courage of Their Convictions. New York, Free Press, 1990. An account of various Supreme Court cases regarding civil rights and liberties and their participants. Irons, Peter.

The Princeton Reviews Cracking The LSAT 2002 Edition, Barrons Educational Series (2002), Robinson, Adam and Tallia, Rob.

LAW AS A CAREER: LAW SCHOOL

Thinking About Law School: A Minority Guide. Newtown, PA, Law

School Admission Council. To order contact the Council at 215/9681001.
Barrons Guide to Law Schools. (14th Edition), Woodbury, New York,
Barrons Educational Series.
Going to Law School? Everything You Need to Know to Choose & Pursue
a Degree in Law. 09/97. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Castelman, Harry and
Niewoehner, Christopher.

For specific information regarding those law schools in Alabama

which you may be interested in attending, contact the Admissions
Office at the address listed below:

University of Alabama School of Law

Law School Admissions Office
P.O. Box 870382
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0382
e-mail: admissions@law.ua.edu
Web: http://www.law.ua.edu

Birmingham School of Law

205 20th Street North
823 Frank Nelson Bldg.
Birmingham, AL 35203
205-322-6122 (Phone)
205-322-2822 (Fax)
Web: http://www.bsol.com/ct.asp

Cumberland School of Law, Samford University

800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL 35229
205-726-2400
Web: http://cumberland.samford.edu

Miles Law School

P.O. Box 39150
Birmingham, AL 35208
205-923-7739
Web: http://www.mlaw.edu/prospective-students/apply-for-admissionto-miles-law-school

Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law

5345 Atlanta Highway
Montgomery, AL 36109
334-272-5820
800-879-9816
Web: http://www.faulkner.edu/admissions/jonesLaw.asp

LAW AS A CAREER: LAW SCHOOL

Information contained in this brochure was prepared by the ASB Department of Communications.

10

Some of the information and statistics contained in this booklet originally appeared in the Careers in the Law publication and has been
reprinted with permission from the American Bar Association and the
Division for Public Education (http://www.abanet.org/publiced), as well
as the booklet Becoming a Lawyer, a publication of the State Bar of
Texas.

LAW AS A CAREER: LAW SCHOOL

 11

ALABAMA
STATE BAR
415 Dexter Avenue Montgomery, Alabama 36104