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how much schooling does it take to become a lawyer?

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Zach’s Answer

Hi Mataieoa!

This is a great question and becoming a lawyer is hard work. My father is a lawyer and so are a handful of my friends. As someone who considered law school myself I am aware of the necessary work. There are a variety of paths to becoming a lawyer and it truly depends on what state you are located in as the requirements can vary slightly between states (the American Bar Association can help with some of this: https://www.americanbar.org/).

Generally speaking though, you will need to complete your undergraduate college degree (BA/BS/etc.), then begin researching law schools, sign up for and take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test - https://www.lsac.org/lsat), apply to law schools with that test result, then complete your Law School degree (Juris Doctorate, aka JD), and then you will need to sit for the Bar exam in your state. These are multi-day exams that are required for all lawyers to pass. Beyond that you must complete continuing education units every year and maintain your Bar membership for the states you are practicing in.

TL:DR Usually 7 years (minimum) of schooling after you complete your high school degree. You will need a completed undergraduate (BA, BS, etc.) degree (~4 years), a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree (~3 years), and a passing score on the bar exam (offered a few times a year, no specific waiting time).
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Robert’s Answer

In California, in order to receive a J.D. degree from a State Bar-accredited law school, you must complete at least 1200 hours of study or 80 semester hours of credit over a period of at least 90 weeks of full-time study or 120 weeks of part-time study.
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sara’s Answer

A follow up to your question, I went to law school at night. It took 3 years including summers. It's just another option for those of us who want to work during the day. And as your prior answer said, you have to take and pass the Bar Exam in order to be active and practice law in your state.
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