Law
In the United States today there are more than one million practicing attorneys. More than half of them are involved in the private practice of law, from individual practitioners to large firms. Others are involved in practice areas of the law such as public interest, government, judicial clerkships, business/industry and academia which can be found in Interest Areas & Types of Employers.
Although there is no required pre law major or undergraduate degree, prospective attorneys should develop skills such as writing, speaking, reading, listening, researching, analyzing problem solving and critical reasoning. Acceptance to law school depends on a number of factors. For additional information about the law school application process visit the USC Advanced Degrees in Law section of this website. UCS also offers prelaw advising. To schedule and individual appointment with a career counselor, call the UCS receptionist at 432.0800.
To qualify for the bar examination in most States, an applicant usually must earn a college degree and graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) with a Juris Doctor (JD). Presently, the ABA accredits 187 law schools. To practice law in the courts or other jurisdictions, a person must be licensed, or admitted to its bar. All states require applicants for admission to the bar to pass a written examination and some jurisdictions require applicants to pass another separate written ethics examination.
|
