Law Degree, Requirements, Tuition Cost, Jobs and Salary

What is Law?

A rule, usually made by a government that is used to order the way in which a society behaves is law. 

The two major classifications of law are - 

• Criminal law

• Civil law.

Growth in society day by day arise new problems and issues. To solve these issues we need laws in everyday routine. Law degrees are the first step in starting a career in the law sector. Laws degrees are challenging and need a lot of intellectual and human interest. Law, or legal studies, comes into contact with almost every area of human life, touching upon issues relating to business, economics, politics, the environment, human rights, international relations, and trade.

• Law plays an important role with respect to social change by shaping a direct impact on society. For example, A law setting up a compulsory educational system.

• Law interacts in many cases indirectly with basic social institutions in a manner constituting a direct relationship between law and social change.

• The rule of law gives everyone a framework for how to act and operate. It holds people, businesses and the government accountable for their actions.

What is a Law degree? 

A law degree is an essential requirement in order to practice law in the United States.

It sets a career path in the legal profession and is one of the most challenging and revered courses.

The path to becoming a solicitor or a barrister is full of obstacles and requires good academic skills, dedication, and diligence.

Online Education in Law

If you want to practice law only in federal courts, your California bar license would permit you to do that in any state. You can practice and learn the law in some states if you hold Master of Laws degrees (LL.M.). This degree takes from one to two years to complete.

You also get internships and certificates for an online law degree. Learning online will be very interactive and you will learn a lot. Based on your merit and credits, you will get scholarships.

Why study Law?

Studying law involves learning about basic subjects such as civil law, criminal law and other law-related subjects, and understanding the various aspects involved in this field.

Some of the features of Law include - 

• Studying the Federal System of the state

• Learning fundamentals of Civil Law, Criminal Law, International Law, and more.

• Studying Ethics and Code of Conduct 

• Developing skills such as Critical thinking, logical deductions, and more.

• Developing interpersonal skills

• Law cohorts are internationally diverse.

• It is one of the professional course and it is considered as a dignified and respectful

• There are many postgraduate courses to pursue further.

• Studying law equips students with a variety of skills.

• Unlike a few other courses, the law is purely a combination of theory and practical aspects. 

Specializations in Law degree

• Criminal Law - It mainly focuses on the criminal code. Prosecutors and District Attorneys sanction illegal behavior, while criminal defense lawyers represent clients accused of criminal activity.

• Civil Rights Law - Civil rights law aims to balance competing interests between institutions of government for individuals or groups of individuals.

• Business Law - Corporate lawyer’s daily duties include acquisitions, internal reorganization, or disputes between corporations and individuals concerning liability, patents, and compliance with state and federal law.

• Entertainment Law - Entertainment law predominantly relates to Intellectual Property Law but is more specifically centered on rights and royalties issues to media in the arts, music, television, cinema, or athletics and sports.

• Environment Law - Environmental law involves multiple statutes, treaties, regulations, and conventions based on state and federal.

• Family Law - The family law focuses on the relationships among the individuals in the family.

Where can you work?

Plenty of jobs are there in the field of law. It is spread in many areas, you might even find legal graduates in companies and hospitals, because the law, legal aspects, and ethics are needed everyplace.

• Lawyer - You can practice law, become an advocate.

• Legal assistance or Paralegal – They support lawyers and advocates in maintaining files and doing research.

• Legal Secretary - Legal secretaries work in law offices and perform secretarial tasks that are specific to the law field.

• Judge - Interprets the laws, assess the evidence presented, and control how hearings and trials unfold in their courtrooms.

• Mediator - They help in legal administration and human resources and within labor unions.

• Magistrate - They can become the legal attorney, judges

• Law professor - Professor in law colleges and universities.

• Legal administrator - They or non-attorney officials, who are legal manager’s responsible legal department of business.

Law Careers

The kind of career one wants to pursue in this field largely depends on the lawyer’s personal goals.

You can choose to work for a government agency or you may join a Corporate firm offering a handsome salary. You can also open your own firm or take up jobs not directly relating to the legal profession.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of 2018, there were 1.34 million lawyers across the United States with estimated job growth of 9% over the next 10 years.

Law degree jobs

Once you have acquired a law degree, you can work in many specialties including Criminal Law, Tax Law, Estate Planning, Business and more.
Some of the job positions that you can apply for after completing your degree are given.

• District Attorney or Prosecuting Attorney - Chief prosecutor of a country who investigates alleged crimes and is responsible for law enforcement.

• Judge in the Judicial System - You can work for the government by applying for a job in the judicial system, such as that of an administrative judge.

• Conflicts Analyst - A conflicts analyst is an important position in a law firm. They perform analysis and research plausible conflicts of interest between firm personnel and parties involved in a legal case, including judicial staff.

• Paralegal - This position serves as the lawyer's right hand. Paralegals do legal research,  draft pleadings and assist clients under the advice of the attorney.

• Law Professor - In the education business, Law professors in reputed and prestigious schools are well paid.

Law degree jobs without Passing Bar

Passing Bar is not an easy task and only 40% of the lawyers succeed in doing so. Does that put an end to your career?

No, there are many positions that are available for lawyers who failed to pass the bar. But some of the jobs are available such as Court Messenger, Legal Advisor, Document Coder, and Law Clerk to name a few.

Law degree jobs salary

The field of law is broad and diverse and so are the earnings in this profession. If you possess the right skill set, a skyrocketing salary will no longer be just a dream.  

Salary figures also depend on the size, location and financial condition of the employer.

Lawyer starting salary

In most cases, a corporate lawyer’s salary, in the beginning, lies somewhere between $30,000 and $100,000 a year.

For graduates from top law schools, the figures can be higher. For Example, the starting salary for Columbia Law School graduates is $165,000, on an average.

Average Law salary

The average Attorney salary in the United States is $93,415 as of January 16, 2019, but the range typically falls between $81,144 and $107,29.

Conclusion

I think by now you have enough information about how to pursue a law degree and what are the benefits and where can you work. Law degree is one of the prestigious professions and you can kick-start your career. If you really like to work in government sectors, you can take up the law degree.