Some possible jobs within this career area are:
Legal and paralegal jobs do require training and certification because people who work in these fields handle sensitive matters. Depending on your goals, you could receive the training you need as little as one year. Typical degree and certification programs include:
- Job-specific Certificate
- Associate’s Degree
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Juris Doctor (Law Degree)
- Master’s Degree
- PhD
Legal jobs are continually growing and available, but job openings can become competitive when state and local budgets are cut. Many legal jobs are tied to local taxes, so be sure to continue your education and training to remain competitive in the job market.
Most jobs in the legal world take between one and three years for primary certification. A career as a lawyer can take up to seven years for complete certification and training – plus lawyers have to pass their state’s bar exam.
How to Become a Divorce Lawyer
A career as a divorce lawyer means representing a person throughout the divorce process and may include property and asset division as well as child custody, visitation, and support.
Law School for Divorce Attorneys
To become a divorce lawyer you will need to earn a four-year degree, pass three years of law school and your state’s Bar Exam, and usually work for several years in the practice of family law. Because law school admission is very competitive you will need to maintain a high GPA throughout your college years. Your four-year degree should include courses that will aid in your career as a divorce lawyer, such as English, speaking, government, sociology, psychology, parenting, and interpersonal relationships.
Once you have earned your undergraduate degree and have been accepted to law school you will have three years of intensive study to complete. The first year will concentrate on general law subjects such as Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Legal Research, Torts, and Property Law. During your last two years of law school you will concentrate on Family Law courses that teach aspects of divorce such as custodial rights, domestic abuse laws, divorce settlements, and child visitation and support laws.
State Bar Examination
You must pass your state’s Bar Exam before practicing law. Each state has its own Bar Exam, which is either two or three days long. The test typically consists of essay questions that will test your knowledge both general legal information and specific state law; some states also use the Multistate Bar Examination as part of the process. Most states administer the Bar Exam on specific dates each year; the Multistate Bar Examination is only given the last Wednesday in February and the last Wednesday in July.
Although you will be able to practice law as soon as you pass your state’s Bar Exam, some states and most law firms will require you to work in general family law areas for two to three years before you will handle an actual divorce.
Divorce Lawyer Salaries
Although there are no statistics specific to divorce lawyer salaries, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that in 2008 the median annual lawyer’s income was $110,590 and should also represent a divorce lawyer salary. Attorney incomes vary widely depending on the location, size, and type of employer; nine months after law school graduation the median salary of attorneys was $68,500. The median top ten percent of attorney incomes, including divorce lawyer salaries, was over $166,400 per year. (Salary data retrieved 7/11/11)
If you’re interested in becoming a divorce lawyer, find a related degree program today!