Education · 1 of 5

The path

Seven years minimum after high school, and there is no shortcut in most states.

1. 1

   Bachelor's degree, any subject

   4 years

   There is no required pre-law major. Grades and writing ability matter far more than the field you pick.

2. 2

   The LSAT (Law School Admission Test)

   Months of preparation

   The admission test accepted by every accredited law school. Your score and your grade point average decide which schools and which scholarships are open to you.

3. 3

   Law school

   3 years

   Three years for the juris doctor degree. The first year is core subjects, and the summer jobs you get in years one and two lead directly to your first offer.

4. 4

   The bar examination

   2 to 3 months of study

   Taken after graduation in the state where you want to practice, plus a separate ethics exam and a character and fitness background check.

5. 5

   Associate, then partner or in-house

   5 to 10 years

   Junior associates do research, due diligence and drafting. Partnership takes about a decade, and many people move to a company instead.