If you choose to study law and not study psychology or science, it is for a reason, it is up to you to determine which one. Choosing the legal field can be appealing because of its rigor, its logic, to provide solutions, to defend a cause, or make a significant change. Going into a field that gives you meaning and purpose can bring you great satisfaction personally and lead to amazing professional accomplishments. Plus, it’s a challenge to learn a new subject, and it keeps the mind active. No matter your age, you can return to school and pursue your dreams, whether it is studying law or something else.
Asking yourself the questions below can help you decide if going into law is right for you.
Do I have the necessary qualities to succeed in law school?
Legal studies require several traits to be successful. In high school, you were likely taught to be autonomous when in class. That characteristic helped you to learn and think critically on your own moving forward. As a student in university, that quality is still essential.
Organization and good logic are necessary too. Other qualities that are important include good research methodology and strong writing skills. Law studies require patience too.
Indeed, since the LMD reform (license-master-doctorate) law studies often require 5 years of study. So, it is a time investment and requires that you continue to motivate yourself to keep going.
A law degree is rarely sufficient to find work directly, and companies increasingly require a master’s degree to hire. That means more time (and patience) on your part as a student. You will learn a range of key terms in the first year, and feel very proficient when learning about the law. You’ll learn about what the amendments mean and what is a plea in abeyance, for example.
What does law school lead to?
Law leads a range of careers as long as you maintain determination along the way. There are many openings, thanks to the basis of legal culture that students obtain in their university programs.
Some examples of what you can do with a law degree that might surprise you are customs officers, university lecturers, tax inspectors, and entrepreneurs.
Law also leads to the classic legal professions that are the first things people usually think of. These roles center around key legal functions. For instance, bailiffs, lawyers specializing in tort law or another area, magistrates, judicial administrators, notaries, clerks, and judges.
When thinking about whether studying law is right for you, consider why you want to get your degree. Will going through the program of interest lead you to a career that you feel will bring you satisfaction?
What does studying law look like?
In addition to attending classes, you’ll also likely spend a lot of time in the library and at home doing readings and prepping assignments. While your first year might not allow you a lot of flexibility for class times, the following years likely give you more flexibility in this regard.
You can expect to do a lot of reading when obtaining a law degree. With time, you will get used to the pace of learning, although realistically it is a challenge at first for many people. You will also get better at picking up key passages and themes in long texts, which saves a lot of time.
An internship is something you may want to get into fairly early on but you don’t have to decide the specialty area for your career right away. You might intern for a while or continue to study until a certain area begins to stand out from the others for you, such as criminal law.
The volume of work becomes more intense from year to year, so you must stay persistent. Recognize too that you do not have a duty to reinvent the law or to challenge established doctrinal positions.
What else to know about studying law
The main quality for success is intellectual curiosity and a desire to learn. No matter what age you want to study law, you can do so. If you want to change your career, then you can look at open university courses too. Law is a profession that can be life-changing.
So, be sure to look at the possible outcomes and the hours that you may need to put into your studies to pass all your exams. The future can be exciting, and it is waiting for you.
Studying law is really very interesting. But I now recommend everyone, to do this in the Anglo-American area, i.e. in this legal system. Everything else, like German law here, is pretty uninteresting, and you are bound to this country. xx Michael
There’s so much to learn in the field of law, for sure!
Studying law doesn’t mean you have to be a lawyer. I have learned more about the law and the US Constitution in the past 4 or 5 years than in any classroom.
Might does not make right.
Knowing the law will definitely keep one out of trouble.
Not wise to skirt the law. :)
You’re right that you can study law for personal reasons. There are also many legal careers aside from being a lawyer. Wishing you a nice day!