How to Become a Litigator

There are two basic kinds of lawyers. One is the corporate (or transactional) lawyer, and the other one is the litigation attorney. If you're one of those people who dream about doing what those lawyers do on television shows like Boston Legal and LA Law, or you're excited about every John Grisham novel that comes out, then you're probably thinking of employment in the litigation area. In contrast to the transactional lawyer (who's usually based as a counselor for companies, negotiates deals, and reviews documents for legal proofreading), the litigation lawyer is an actual trial lawyer who basically debates with other litigants in the courtroom in real-time. If you're seriously considering a career in this area, then read on. This article will serve as a guide on how to become a litigator.
 

Basic Education

You need at least four years of basic college education to send you on your path into the litigation career. Acquire a bachelor's degree, because a mere associate's degree is not acceptable. It doesn't matter so much what you majored in, though, so long as your GPA is good enough to get through to the next step, which is law school. Although, if you really want good chances of employment as a litigator, then you should consider courses that touch on fields that correlate with basic Law or public speech. Near the end of your basic education, research which law schools offer the best litigation courses that would suit your taste.

Law School

You can't just simply enter law school and think that it's just another form of college. You need to prepare yourself before taking the LSAT. It's basically much like other SATs, except for the fact that it's geared towards evaluating your potential performance in law school. It's recommended that you take a prep course so you can be ready to take the exam. Once you have that, you can continue. Law school basically takes a minimum of 3 years before you can graduate, but it might take longer if you opt for a program that offers part-time options.
  Interested in these kinds of jobs? Click here to find Litigation jobs.
Internship

Choosing a part-time program in law school gives you the benefit of looking for firms that offer internships suited to your taste. While still in law school, you can also look for part-time jobs as you consider firms that focus on litigation. Ask your professors for advice on how to do this so as to improve your time management skills and to avoid stress. Here's a tip: look for jobs online that allow you to work at home (or your apartment) so that you can juggle tasks more easily.

The Bar Exam

After you graduate from law school, you will then need to take the bar exam. This is the final exam that will ultimately decide whether or not you're cut out to become a real lawyer. The requirements and protocols all vary according to the state you reside in, but they do have standards that the National Council puts in. Most states even require you to pass a character evaluation and fitness program. This means you'll be submitted to an extensive investigation that focuses mainly on your background. They'll check to see if you have personal issues and public records of legal misdemeanors, substance abuse, credit reports, traffic tickets—you name it. This may sound highly intrusive, but it's the only way they can see if you've really got what it takes to have employment status in the litigation field.

Beginning Your Career

This may sound cliché, but, experience really is everything. Practice your litigation skills at home or join a litigation club wherein you can hone what you've learned along the way and apply it in real-time. While you do that, you can apply for jobs at some modest firms that focus on litigation. Start small so you can accumulate enough experience to advance to the big leagues. When you think you're ready, you can then apply to bigger firms.

The road to becoming a litigator is long and hard. But once you're there, you can certainly bask in the glamor of courtroom dramas and exciting cases that fulfill your every desire you've dreamed of doing when you were a kid because you've been fascinated with every Perry Mason movie. The trick is time management. Work at home by looking for jobs online if you have to, but keep a steady eye on that goal so you can finally become the litigator that you've always dreamed of.

Please see this article to find out if litigation is right for you: Why Most Attorneys Have No Business Being Litigators: Fifteen Reasons Why You Should Not Be a Litigator
  Interested in these kinds of jobs? Click here to find Litigation jobs.