Education
If you're thinking of going to law school, there are three types of degrees you can pursue: Juris Doctor, Master of Laws, and Doctor of Juridical Science. A Juris Doctor degree allows a person to practice law within the United States. This degree takes three years to complete, and requires a completed bachelor's degree before admission. A Master of Laws degree is completed after a Juris Doctorate, and consists of a year of full-time study, generally in a specialized area of the law, such as tax law or patent law. A Doctor of Juridical Science is the highest law degree available in the United States. This degree takes three years of full-time study to complete. This degree qualifies individuals to work as law professors in some academic settings.
Attorney
Every law school in the United States requires an undergraduate degree, with most looking for a solid 3.0 or above GPA. Additionally, any student seeking to be accepted into law school needs to pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Most schools use the results of this test to determine eligibility for admission, as well as financial aid. Each state maintains different requirements for practicing law, as laws vary from state to state. After completing a legal degree, a candidate will need to pass the bar examination for the state in which they want to practice. Passing the bar certifies you as a lawyer in that state.
Chief Legal Officer
CLO's oversee the legal aspects of businesses, including advising during the setup of a corporation, consulting on legal changes in the field, and training staff as needed. CLO's also often investigate issues of compliance with regulatory codes, legal agency filings, and current industry legal standards. Most Chief Legal Officers have worked in the field for years, having obtained the education and experience necessary to work successfully in their field of choice. This position generally requires a law degree.
Court Administrator
A court administrator handles the managerial duties within an individual court system, including human resources, payroll, budget, schedules, and all associated paperwork and filing. A court administrator is directly responsible for the efficient operation of a court building and its associated functions. Larger courts may have more than one court administrator working under an executive or judge within a specialized legal department. This position requires at least an undergraduate degree, and may require additional certification or graduate study. These requirements vary from state to state. Previous experience in judicial administration, as well as strong clerical and executive skills are highly sought after when filling this position.
Paralegal
A paralegal is a legal professional that is trained and educated in the law, but not a licensed lawyer. Their primary function is to assist licensed lawyers in their legal work. Paralegals often operate within specialized areas of the law, such as immigration, probate, and patents & trademarks. In the United States, paralegals are not authorized to offer many of the legal services a lawyer offers, nor do they function as officers of the court. Paralegals may operate as freelancers or be employed by lawyers or law offices. Paralegals are always supervised by a licensed lawyer, and cannot practice the law on their own. Specific education requirements and training are required to become a paralegal. The required courses are offered by a number of private institutions, as well as being part of the curriculum of established law schools.
