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Edited by Carolyn Barratt, Ch.salas, Jack Herrick

An associate is a standard-level lawyer at a law firm, one step below the partners, who run the firm, and above the various clerical and paralegal staff. Associates may be fresh law school graduates or attorneys with several years of experience practicing law. In this guide, you will learn the steps you need to take in order to be hired as a law associate, including legal education requirements, career preparation, and government stipulations.

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Steps

  1. 1
    Acquire a bachelor's degree from an undergraduate institution. It may help to study something somewhat related to law, such as philosophy or history, but law schools accept students from all academic fields.
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  2. 2
    Take the Law School Admissions Test in the year before you plan to attend law school.
  3. 3
    Apply to law school and obtain acceptance.
  4. 4
    Enroll at an accredited law school.
  5. 5
    Maintain grades sufficiently high enough to ensure that you can stay in school and graduate. Complete all basic requirements, including legal writing.
  6. 6
    Seek out an internship with a law firm or governmental organization in the summer after your first year at law school. This will provide valuable experience that will be looked upon favorably by law firms hiring associates.
  7. 7
    Begin to specialize during the second year of law school. Choose one or two areas of law, such as family law or tax law, that you are especially interested in, and take classes in those areas.
  8. 8
    Go through the interview and recruitment process that usually takes place at law schools during the second year. Seek out a position as a summer associate before your third year of law school. These positions often lead to full-time employment after graduation.
  9. 9
    Continue to gain expertise in a specific area of law during your third year.
  10. 10
    Apply to law firms before you graduate from law school. Consult the career center at your law school and attend recruitment fairs to find employers, or send your resume and make inquiries at law firms that interest you.
  11. 11
    Graduate from law school.
  12. 12
    Choose the state in which you want to practice law. This decision will be based either upon where you have been hired or where you hope to seek employment.
  13. 13
    Consult state requirements for sitting for the bar exam. The exam is usually given once or twice a year, and additional requirements beyond a Juris Doctor degree, such as a character fitness evaluation, may be required.
  14. 14
    Sit for the bar exam and receive at least the minimum score required to pass.
  15. 15
    Wait for your state accreditation legally permitting you to practice law.
  16. 16
    Continue to seek employment if you have still not found a position, now advertising yourself as a licensed lawyer.
  17. 17
    Enroll in continuing legal education classes as required by the state. You will need to satisfy these education requirements in order to be permitted to continue practicing law.
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Tips

  • In exceptional circumstances, and only in some states, it is possible to become a lawyer without a Juris Doctor degree. Instead, you can receive legal education in the form of an apprenticeship at a law firm. Consult state regulations regarding non-traditional admission to the bar exam.
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Things You'll Need

  • Juris Doctor degree (except in exceptional cases)
  • Passed bar exam
  • Professional requirements (character fitness evaluation, etc.)

Sources and Citations

Article Info

Categories: Legal Careers

Recent edits by: Ch.salas, Carolyn Barratt

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