Becoming a Criminal Defense Attorney
The Road to Becoming a Criminal Defense Attorney
Kristina Sawicki
English 250 Applied Writing
Professor K. Turner
February 12, 2013
Sitting in the living room floor watching Perry Mason as a young girl, I never wavered on what I was going to be when I grew up. From the age of about two years old it was crystal clear to me. I was going to go to one of the best law schools in the country and become a great criminal defense trial attorney. The road to becoming a criminal defense attorney is not an easy one. It is filled with tests, degrees, stress, reading, studying, tuition, and more. But for most people that choose this path, they are pursuing this achievement like an Olympic medalist trains for the gold. Achieving the dream is worth all of the blood, sweat and tears (Robert W. Davis, Jr. Attny, personal communication, February 5, 2013). In my discourse community as a future attorney, there are several important steps to follow that I will explain in my essay. The beginning of the road is the easiest. Anyone wanting to attend law school must obtain a Bachelor’s degree at an accredited four year college or university. Any type of Bachelor’s degree will be considered, but law schools have their own preferences. During this period, you must maintain a better than average grade point average. It is also beneficial to have scholastic achievements, organizational memberships, and community activities to support your application. The applications for law school are controlled by the LSAC, Law School Admissions Council. They can be found on the internet at: http://www.lsac.org. On this website, you can find anything and everything about law schools, applications, the process, the LSAT, law school advisers, and a future career in law. According to the LSAC, you must take the Law School Admissions Test before the attending year’s deadline. You register and pay for the LSAT on the LSAC website. You must also have a minimum of
Kristina Sawicki
English 250 Applied Writing
Professor K. Turner
February 12, 2013
Sitting in the living room floor watching Perry Mason as a young girl, I never wavered on what I was going to be when I grew up. From the age of about two years old it was crystal clear to me. I was going to go to one of the best law schools in the country and become a great criminal defense trial attorney. The road to becoming a criminal defense attorney is not an easy one. It is filled with tests, degrees, stress, reading, studying, tuition, and more. But for most people that choose this path, they are pursuing this achievement like an Olympic medalist trains for the gold. Achieving the dream is worth all of the blood, sweat and tears (Robert W. Davis, Jr. Attny, personal communication, February 5, 2013). In my discourse community as a future attorney, there are several important steps to follow that I will explain in my essay. The beginning of the road is the easiest. Anyone wanting to attend law school must obtain a Bachelor’s degree at an accredited four year college or university. Any type of Bachelor’s degree will be considered, but law schools have their own preferences. During this period, you must maintain a better than average grade point average. It is also beneficial to have scholastic achievements, organizational memberships, and community activities to support your application. The applications for law school are controlled by the LSAC, Law School Admissions Council. They can be found on the internet at: http://www.lsac.org. On this website, you can find anything and everything about law schools, applications, the process, the LSAT, law school advisers, and a future career in law. According to the LSAC, you must take the Law School Admissions Test before the attending year’s deadline. You register and pay for the LSAT on the LSAC website. You must also have a minimum of
References: Americanbar.org. (2013). Bar Admissions. Retrieved February 11, 2013, from http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/aba_approved_law_schools.html. LSAC.org. (2013) Future JD Students. Retrieved February 11, 2013, from http://www.lsac.org/jd/default.asp. Msbar.org. (2013). Law as a Career. Retrieved February 10, 2013, from http://msbar.org/for-the-public/law-as-a-career.aspx