Does defending the rights of those who’ve suffered a personal injury appeal to you? How about working with some of the best minds in the country, all while making a high salary?
If that sort of work sounds appealing, a personal injury lawyer could be the perfect job for you.
Personal injury lawyers work with injured people in car accidents, medical malpractice, aviation accidents, and other cases. With the median salary being $82,830, they enjoy a comfortable life while seeking justice.
But what if you don’t know how to become a personal injury lawyer?
Keep reading to learn about all of the different steps you’ll have to take.
Get a Bachelor’s Degree
Before you can even think about attending law school, you’ll first need to attend a four-year university and get a bachelor’s degree. You won’t be able to become a lawyer without a degree.
Many students plan to attend law school after graduation study majors like political science, economics, and English. Some schools even offer a pre-law major. That being said, don’t worry too much about your undergrad field of study.
Law schools accept people from all majors and backgrounds. In fact, they like accepting people from diverse fields since it allows fresh ideas to come into the legal world. Your best bet is to study something that interests you.
Keep Your GPA High
While the major you choose to study in undergrad isn’t important, your GPA is. Besides the LSAT, which we’ll cover in a moment, your GPA is the second biggest factor.
The top-tier law schools only take in candidates with high GPAs. Most of the time, this means having around a 3.8, or even higher. Mid-level schools might be interested in candidates with around a 3.5 or 3.6.
If you don’t know which law school you want to attend, the best thing you can do is get as high of a GPA as possible. This will ensure that you have a plethora of doors open when the time comes.
Take the LSAT
At some point in time, you’ll need to take the LSAT. This is the SAT of law school—the test that admission boards look at to determine whether or not they’ll offer you a place at their school.
The LSAT is incredibly challenging because it tests your brain in a way that most people aren’t used to. All of the questions pertain to logic and make it even more difficult; you only have a short time to complete the test.
Luckily, there are many great LSAT prep courses that you can sign up for. These can train your brain and help you understand how to solve the different types of questions.
Attend Law School
Assuming that you do well on the LSAT and have a high GPA, you should be an ideal candidate for many law schools across the country. But getting into law school is only part of the battle.
Once you’re there, you need to pass the classes. You’ll be busy for the majority of the three years that you’re there, but you’ll also get to work with hundreds of other bright students and mentors.
Law school is also expensive, so you might have to take out student loans. However, the struggle will be worth it once you become a wrongful death attorney.
Make the Right Connections
While you’re at law school and even at your four-year university, you want to make sure that you make as many connections as possible. Networking will help set you up for success later on.
If you plan on having your name come up when people search ‘personal injury lawyer near me, you need to make a point to network with everyone from insurance reps to doctors.
Internships and working part-time legal jobs are great ways to make connections to help you in the future.
Pass the Bar
After you finish law school, you’re not a lawyer yet—you still need to pass the bar exam. In most cases, this is the final step on your journey to becoming a personal injury lawyer.
The bar exam certifies you to practice law in the state in which you reside. In fact, each state has its own bar exam, with some being notoriously more difficult than others.
Some states require additional certifications, but the bar will be the biggest final hurdle that you’ll have to jump through.
Join the Right Firm
If you made connections throughout the past several years of your life, you should have no problem getting a job with a firm. Most lawyers dream of working with big and well-known firms, but there are also many small and successful firms.
Your tasks early on might be simple, but as you gain more experience, you’ll find that your duties increase.
At some point, you can think about starting your own legal firm. However, when you’re fresh out of law school, that can be not easy. Most lawyers get more legal experience first.
Understand What It Takes to Become a Personal Injury Lawyer
If your dream job involves helping those injured fight for justice, you might want to consider becoming a personal injury lawyer.
Use this guide to help you understand the steps you need to take to end up at law school and in the courtroom.
Do you now have a better understanding of how to become a lawyer in personal injury? If you do, make sure to check out some of our other posts. You’ll find tons of other helpful guides and tips.
