Pick a major that you’re interested in. There’s no pre-law undergraduate major, so law schools don’t require you to have a certain major to gain admission. Take useful classes. The best classes to take will emphasize writing, reading, and critical thinking. Foreign language classes can also be helpful. In 2013, over 35% of US immigrants migrated from Spanish speaking countries. Large numbers of immigrants also came from Vietnam, China, the Philippines, India and Korea. Immigration to the US from Asian countries has continued to grow for several years and represents the largest group of immigrants to the US. If you could be fluent in one of these languages you may be able to create a niche for your legal practice. [1] X Research source Get good grades. In addition to taking challenging courses you will need good grades to get into the school of your choice. Build relationships with professors so they can give you a meaningful and positive recommendation.
Send transcripts, letters of recommendations, and resumes to LSAC.
Commercial prep courses can run to several thousand dollars. You typically meet in a small groups or in one-on-one tutoring. You can also study on your own. Your library or local bookstore has copies of old exams. Take some practice exams and identify areas of weakness. Your library should also have study guides to help you improve.
To get into any law school, you should have around a 3. 00 GPA and an LSAT score around 151 (which is the 50th percentile). To get into a top 50 law school, you should have around a 3. 5 GPA and an LSAT score around 157 (70th percentile). To get into a top 10 law school, your GPA will need to be around 3. 7 and your LSAT around 169 (97th percentile). Go online and look at a law school admissions calculator, such as https://officialguide. lsac. org/release/OfficialGuide_Default. aspx.
You may want to consider attending a law school that has an immigration clinical program. Immigration clinical programs allow law students to get practical experience in immigration law before they graduate. Check to see if the schools you want to attend have a clinical law program.
Apply to multiple law schools: safeties, targets and reaches.
Participate in internships at immigration agencies or firms during the school year. You can often earn credit! If your school has an immigration law clinic, sign up and start getting hands-on experience. You will work under the direction of a helpful faculty supervisor. Work for an immigration attorney during your summers. Law students have two summers to work. Building contacts while in law school will help with your job search after graduation. While some immigration attorneys work for large firms, most work in small practices. Therefore, you will want to conduct informational interviews with local practitioners to learn about the field in your city and determine whether or not there are jobs or internships available for law students.
Attend an annual conference to rub shoulders with establish immigration attorneys. The continuing legal education courses offered by professional organizations are a great way to supplement your law school education. If your school doesn’t offer classes in immigration law, then you can attend panels and discussion sponsored through the AILA.
If you have any concerns, such as a prior criminal conviction or an accusation of plagiarism, you should secure the assistance of an attorney to help guide you through the bar admissions process. People have been denied admittance for these reasons. If the character and fitness committee calls you in for an interview, you should prepare for the interview with a lawyer.
Some state bars are more difficult to pass. California, for example, has a passage rate of about 48 percent. [4] X Research source Illinois, by contrast, admitted about 80 percent of its applicants in 2014. [5] X Research source Popular prep courses can help you study for both the essay and multiple choice sections. They run for several months and cost several thousand dollars.
Schedule informational interviews as a way to establish new connections. You can find a job online, through networking or through classified advertisements. Also, your law school career center should have leads or tips for finding work.
To open a firm, you will need to incorporate, either as a limited liability company (LLC) or as a professional corporation (PC). Forms are available from the Secretary of State’s office. You typically need to register with your state Supreme Court. Get your name out there! Building a website is a great way to raise awareness of your firm. Be sure to make it multi-lingual. Keep in touch with former employers. If they have a conflict which prevent them from working on a case, they may refer it to you. If you start your own firm, you must be able to support yourself financially for a year or two with either limited or no income. While your practice may take off quickly, it may also be a year or two before you can take home a salary.
Consistently learn and gain relevant experience to the point were you re fairly competent.
