Want to become a family lawyer? Wondering how long does it take to become a family lawyer?
Well, the time actually depends on the province you’re living in. For example, it takes around 7 years to become a family lawyer in Winnipeg.
While pursuing a law degree, you will need to complete several steps. That includes obtaining various degrees like a law degree and Juris degree etc. Besides, you need to keep gathering experience between the degrees.
Let’s know the steps to become a family lawyer and the duration.
Step 1: Obtain an undergraduate degree
Duration: 4 years or 48 months
This is the first step in the journey of becoming a lawyer after you are done with high school. Most people think a bachelor’s is enough to get admitted to a law school, but that is not the case.
However, if you do graduation in Criminology and Policing, you will have a better understanding of the law enforcement point of view.
Sometimes people can apply for just completing 2 years or by finishing a minimum of 90 credits, but that’s a special case.
That means you need to calculate it for 4 years for now. Note that you will have more possibility to get a chance in a law school. Let’s see what’s the upcoming step and its duration.
Step 2: Take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) examination
Duration: 3 months (minimum)
Once you graduate, next you need to prepare for the LSAT. Some law schools in different provinces don’t require an LSAT, such as– Quebec. Still, it’s recommended to take the test as it gives you a higher chance to get admitted to a law school.
In fact, some people study for this test during their undergrad. So, how long will it take you to prepare for an LSAT exam?
Generally, students take a minimum of three months long preparation. And you will need to spend on the preparation at least 20 hours per week.
Step 3: Complete a law school
Duration: 3 Years or 26 months
After taking the LSAT, you need to find a law school. There are several of them. So, you need to pick based on your convenience.
This can take a while for you to decide. Deciding on a law school will be less time-consuming if you talk to your acquaintance.
Next, you need to apply for the school. There you will need to provide your personal statement and letter of recommendation.
You can see that these tasks will take a little time, too, as you want to be accepted by the school. You should take a minimum of 1 month to prepare the application properly.
After that, you will be accepted into law school. There you will have to spend a total of 3 years.
Step 4: Sitting for a provincial bar examination
Duration: 2 to 3 months
After completing law school, you will have an L.L.B. for a J.D. degree. And you need to do one more thing before you can practice as a family lawyer in all provinces.
You will have to invest 2 to 3 months in the bar examination preparation. Generally, people spend around 40 hours of study time. You will also need to work with a lawyer for at least 9 to 12 months.
Finally, you take the bar examination. If you didn’t know already, bar examinations are long, like 7 hours. Now, if you add these time frames, you will find the approximate time you need to become a lawyer officially.
Overview of the Complete roadmap of becoming a lawyer
The aspects or steps specified here are just some of the important steps where you invest a lot of time. There are more steps in the journey of becoming a lawyer.
Let’s talk about the steps briefly.
- Complete a four-year graduate program
- Take LSAT test
- Select a law school
- Prepare applications for your targeted law schools
- Earn a law degree
- Participate in volunteer activities that will add up to your experience
- Apply for an Internship
- Pass the bar exam
- Start practicing law in a firm
- Start looking for family lawyer jobs
- Keep learning
- Do as much as networking possible
Total Duration: Around 7 years or 84 months.
What skills are needed to become a lawyer?
Now you know how long it will take along with all the steps. Next, you must focus on developing skills to become a successful lawyer.
Lawyers need to have a range of soft and hard skills. Some of the most important examples can be: enough knowledge of laws, government protocol, communication skill, internet literacy, analytical skill, etc.
Final thoughts
To become a successful family lawyer, you need to work hard. Before completing an extensive course of study and preparation, you need to be patient enough to reach your goal. Now that you know the duration, you can consider a law career.
