Is family law hard to study? This is a pertinent question a lot of students ask. And today, I will be answering this question in detail with some tips on how to become a family lawyer.
What is family law?
Family law is the area of law that deals with family matters such as divorce and child custody. Those who study family law become family law lawyers and handle cases that involve marital issues and domestic relations.
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What does a family lawyer do?
A family law attorney is a legal professional who specializes in family law and helps his clients in matters that has to do with family relationships. Family lawyers handle cases on dissolution of marriage, child custody, domestic violence law, juvenile justice, wills, agreements and other matters that have to do with family relation.
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Is family law hard to study?
No area of law is easy to study, but family law isn’t as hard as you think. What matters is your dedication to your studies and the willingness to pay the price to make your dreams come through.
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How to become a family lawyer
1. Obtain a degree
Your first journey to becoming a family law attorney is to get a bachelor’s degree from the University. The number of years you spend in school varies from state to state. For example, in USA, it takes 4 good years to obtain a bachelor’s degree in law. In Nigeria, it takes 5 years and even more than that in some countries.
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2. Pass the LSAT
Passing the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is a prerequisite for going to law school. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree from the university of your choice, sit for the LSAT. LSAT is a preliminary exam you must take to gain admission into law school. You can learn more about LSAT and GRE here.
3. Go to law school
After passing the LSAT, the next step to becoming a family lawyer is to obtain a degree from any law school, accredicted by the American Bar Association. It is in the process of going to law school that you will choose family law as your area of concentration in law and obtain a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. In your first year in law school, you will learn different topics in law but as soon as you get to your second year of study, you will have the opportunity to choose an area of concentration in law. This is when you choose family law as your area of focus in law.
4. Get licensed to practice law
To practice law in the United States and other parts of the world, you must be given a license. The licensing process shows you have met the requirements for becoming a lawyer in your state. So, after your stay in law school, the next step is to pass the bar exam (law school exam). That is the only time you are qualified to be called to bar and start practising law in your state.
5. Start working as a family lawyer
After completing the four steps above, the next is to start practising as a family lawyer. You have be given to right to pratice law by the virtue of your calling to bar. But it is always advisable to join a law firm first, to gain experience and learn from senior lawyers before you decide to be independent.
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How long does it take to be a family lawyer?
The number of years it takes to become a lawyer varies from country to country. To become a family lawyer in the United states, it will take you 7 years to complete all your studies in law. In Uk, it takes about 6-7 years, Australia, 6 years and in Nigeria, 6 years.
What courses should I take to become a family lawyer?
To specialize in family law, you need to study core courses like, marital property, children and the law, adoption law and mediation. You can even add additional courses like juvenile justice and elder law to increase your knowledge about family law.
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