Do You Really Need a Lawyer?

In cases where you're getting charged with a crime or getting sued, it's a no-brainer that you'll need a lawyer to advise you with your situation.

Your lawyer will be able to listen to your situation, make the recommendation to proceed, and aid you in fighting for the most beneficial position for you. When faced with a crime or lawsuit, some people decide to represent themselves, but most of the time the outcome isn't as favorable compared to that when an attorney is present.

In other situations where you have a brush with the law, you might not need an attorney. For example, if you get a moving violation (i.e. speeding) while driving, it's common not to require the help of a lawyer. Also, if someone is taking you to small claims court for $200, the price of a lawyer might outweigh losing the case.

When considering whether or not to enlist the services of a lawyer, you must ask yourself, "What's at stake?" If your finances or liberties are at stake, then consulting with an attorney is the smart thing to do. For example, if your financial situation is so dire that the best option is to file a Chapter 7 of Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, then you should seek the help of a bankruptcy attorney to aid you through the process and file the correct paperwork so that the bankruptcy process and eventual discharge occur in the shortest period of time possible.

The First Steps to Becoming an Attorney

The US Supreme Court

If you want to become an attorney, you will have to complete a few steps before you step into the courtroom.  I'll talk about the general process to become an attorney in the United States.

The first thing you have to do is get your bachelor's degree from an accredited university.  It can be any major, but some majors are preferred over others when applying into law school.  Next, you need to take the LSAT exam and do fairly well on it.

Harvard Law School

Once you have your degree and LSAT exam scores, you can apply into law school.  A full time law school program takes 3 years to graduate.  After you graduate, you have to study and pass the state bar exam, and after you do that, you're officially an attorney. 

By that time, you should already know what niche you want to practice law in.  There are criminal, bankruptcy, copyright, environmental, immigration, etc. attorneys, and it's best to pick an area that you are passionate about so that you can help your clientele in the best way possible.