Mrs. Adrianne Karnofel
English 1
20 May 2011
Lawyers
The typical stereotype of a lawyer is usually that of a crooked man with the hunger for money and not the innocence of the innocent. Although, a true lawyer is someone who studies and practices law. Lawyers should be very committed to what they are doing because it requires one to be consistent. Becoming a lawyer takes determination; it takes a great deal of responsibility that impacts every aspect of society. To begin, lawyers did not appear out of nowhere. They are there for a reason. “The activities of early modern lawyers had much in common with those of their counterparts. They practiced courtroom defense, acted as political and legal counsels to the princely houses, and held positions in the courts and royal administration” (“Lawyers”). Lawyers of the past were very similar to lawyers of the present. In European countries during the sixteenth century, the legal profession became more exclusive (“Lawyers”). There were a very limited number of lawyers. This made the occupation of a lawyer very valuable to society, and created the pathway that the lawyers of today would soon follow. Next, becoming a lawyer requires a lot of studying. It requires one to be dedicated and have a passion for studying law. “Becoming a lawyer usually takes 7 years of full time study after high school- four years of undergraduate study, followed by three years of law school. Law school applicants must have a bachelor’s degree to qualify for admission” (United). Lawyers in training have to work very hard all throughout their seven years of studying after high school. This shows the education needed to become a lawyer. This is a seven year process of full time study. A bachelor’s degree is needed in order to qualify for admission into law school. Throughout law school, the core subjects are constitutional law, contracts, property law, torts, civil procedure, and legal writing. The specialized courses offered are