Law Career/Law School Questions? important help with my career planning.?

[kirklin]

PLEASE READ AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK AND EXPLAIN SOME THINGS PLEASE!
ok so i want to go to college/law school, im currently a sophomore in high school and am career planning early which is good but i have some questions. first off, i would like to become an attorney AND a judge. Do you think that this is to much work to have 2 careers in the same branch? and let say i went to law school. how would i go about studying, say if you study to become lawyer in multiple fields like criminal and corporate would you take separate courses in law school for each or do you learn in one class to become each. same goes for a judge say i wanted to judge in criminal and small claims court would i have to take separate courses on each type of judging or do you learn all types of judging in on course. Basically asking how law school works. I ask these questions because Judge Judy was a attorney and a judge, and i want to follow in her footsteps :). Do you think i should stick to the plan? give me ideas and ps. (dont say judge judy wasnt a real judge, she was a real judge before the judge judy show)

[merla15]

1. Being a lawyer and a judge: You have to be a lawyer to be a judge. All judges were practicing lawyers before becoming a judge. Judges are (depending on the state) either appointed by the government or elected. To be elected or appointed you have to build a good strong reputation in the community you wish to be a judge in. So to answer your question, you would not be able to be a practicing attorney and judge at the same time but you can do both during your career.

2. Specialization: Lawyers do not specialize in law school. So you will have required courses that everyone will take (criminal law, constitutional law, contracts, evidence, torts, property, civil and criminal procedure etc.) Then you can take electives. However, law school only teaches you to "think" like a lawyer; they do not teach you black letter law. You specialize in a specific area of law by gaining internships in the area you wish to practice while in law school and then by getting a job in that field after you pass the bar. Once you pass the bar you can practice ANY type of law in the state you pass it in.

3. Classes on "Judging": There is no such thing, see 1. You just become an attorney and practice in any area then get elected or appointed to being a judge.

4. How law school works: First you will need to earn a bachelors degree in any major (pre law not required for any law school). Most lawyers major in english, political science, or history. Law school admissions are largely based on your college GPA and Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score. It takes about 4 years to get a bachelors going full time.

Next you will go to law school for 3 years. As outlined above you do not specialize in law school or take courses on being a judge. Law school is TONS of reading (400-500 pages per week) and very difficult. You are graded on one exam at the end of a 4-5 month semester and it is very stressful.

After you graduate law school you will have to take and pass the excruciatingly difficult bar exam in whichever state you wish to practice. You do not have to go to law school in the state you plan to sit for the bar.

Also the legal job market is BAD right now and would still be when you would become a lawyer 10 or so years from now. There are literally no jobs for new lawyers right now and you will want to look at the job market VERY carefully before you pay over $100,000 for a law degree.