Law Studies: Different Types of Attorneys and Why You Might Need One
Statistics from the American Bar Association state that a total number of 23,401 law students who graduated in 2018 secured full-time employment. This represents 68.4% of all students who took their bar examination. These figures show that law is still an attractive career for many and the rate of employment high.
Not all attorneys are the same. Understand the different types of attorneys and find out if you need one for yourself or your business.
In this article, we highlight different types of attorneys and why you might need one.
Law Studies
Lawyers in the US go through rigorous three-year training. Unlike many other countries, law school in the US is at the graduate level. The curriculum for law school aims at building a career of a lawyer that can handle different matters in the public.
Not all lawyers spend their time in a court of law, but at times, qualified lawyers can be called upon before a judge in what is called litigation. Law is a very diverse field that not a single lawyer can master all the laws and statutes hence the need for specialization.
A lawyer picks on a single area and specializes in it. This way, they are able to become experts in this field. Once you know the types, you will be in a good position to know how to find a good lawyer.
Below we will list and expound on the types of lawyers.
1. Civil Rights Lawyer
These are sometimes called constitutional lawyers. They specialize in matters that touch on basic human rights, violations of rights, gay rights, and compensations. They also work with lawmaking entities like Congress to develop national and local laws.
2. Immigration Lawyer
This category of lawyers helps people seeking legal status to be citizens of any country. They also fight deportation orders or violation of immigration laws.
3. Criminal Defense Lawyer
This is a major cadre of lawyers as it deals with matters about criminal conducts of their clients. These include murder, theft, gun rules violation or drug-related charges. Based on the work they do, they are most sought after in helping individuals avoid jail terms or harsh fines.
They are known as the best lawyers when it comes to litigation or performance before a judge or a jury.
4. Corporate Lawyer
A corporate lawyer deals with business matters. They help you incorporating companies, ensuring licenses are in order and generating contracts. They are also involved with issues of mergers and acquisition. They are also involved in ensuring the company shares are in order.
Besides, they defend a company that has been sued by another in cases of breach of contract. They safeguard the legal interest of a company both before a court of law (litigation) and in the boardroom.
5. Traffic Lawyers
Traffic lawyers concentrate much with issues touching on road accidents and compensation thereafter. There are various lawyers who pick a subtopic of this and specialize further. For example, in this article, a law firm has specialized in bicycle traffic rules.
6. Real Estate Lawyer
This is a type of lawyer who is interested in ensuring a firm or an individual acquires a property lawfully. They facilitate the proper signing of deeds that will be proof of ownership. Real estate lawyers help you meet local authority requirements when having a real estate development.
7. Personal Injury Types of Attorneys
As the name suggests, these types of lawyers work with you when you get a body injury, either through an auto accident or at home. They work with medical insurance companies and other insurance entities to compensate you in case of a physical injury.
8. Bankruptcy Lawyer
This is a growing class of lawyers in tough economic times. A bankruptcy lawyer will advise you on the best way to file a bankruptcy suit and what you stand to lose by this move. They shield you against losses that you might find yourself in when your income is in jeopardy.
9. Tax Lawyer
A tax lawyer works with you to ensure you meet your obligations of both state and federal tax requirements. Tax lawyers also work with you in case the IRS comes after you for a purported tax offense.
Tax lawyers can work for an individual or a firm. They are sometimes considered commercial lawyers as they advise firms on tax matters and how to sort tax disputes.
10. Employment and Labor Lawyer
If you need to know how to deal with your employees or sort a labor dispute, contracting an employment lawyer might be the right decision. They are trained in reading through labor-related contracts and labor laws to ensure you get a fair hearing. And in case you are an employee, a labor lawyer will handle your dispute with your employer to ensure you get the compensation that suits you.
Sometimes people hire labor lawyers to help them go through employment contracts to avoid disputes in the future. This action ensures that you only sign for a contract that you understand what it entails.
11. Family Lawyer
A family lawyer deals with family matters including marriages, divorce, and custody of children. They also deal with disputes on ownership of children, abuse related matters in children courts and inheritance.
Most of these lawyers operate in civil courts but can also find themselves in criminal cases. These cases include issues of abuse of children that are criminal in nature.
Lawyers Are Diverse
We have seen the different types of attorneys and what they do. Understanding the area a lawyer specializes can help you know how to find an attorney. Sometimes it is good to look through the categories provided in lawyers’ listings and decide which one suits your need.
We provide an online directory of lawyers that can help you sought out your legal problem. You can visit our site to learn more on various issues about lawyers.
The information includes types of cases, legal matters, means of defending yourself and other issues that might worry you about the law. Check out our blog for more information for more legal information!
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How to Use Business Intelligence to Improve Your Law Firms Profitability
Do you have your own law firm? Perhaps you are a partner at a law firm? Maybe you are thinking of branching out and starting up your own firm? Or, you could be in charge of your law firms bottom line. If any of these are the case then you’ll want to learn more about business intelligence and power bi for law firms to figure out the ways it can help you.
Improving your business intelligence or BI system regarding your law firm can help in many ways. It can increase profits, provide billing solutions while streamlining communications. BI can also help you to predict upcoming trends and put you ahead of the game.
Increase Profitability
Let’s face it, increasing profits is important to any business and your law firm will definitely always want to be looking at ways to increase them. There are basically three ways business intelligence can help increase profits.
Cutting Costs
Business intelligence can tell you where expense cuts need to be made. Maybe you’re not offering the right law services or there is a service that people don’t need. With BI you can figure out which of your services are working best and which are not worth the time and effort.
Marketing
When you have a more focused marketing campaign for your law firm you will gain more clients and therefore increase profits. With BI you can learn more about client behaviors and be able to customize your services to their exact needs. You can figure out what times of the day are best to put out an online ad. This may seem like a small change or even insignificant however this little trick can really boost your profits.
Become More Efficient
By using business intelligence you can eliminate inefficiencies. You’ll have access to every piece of your company’s data in one place with BI. This will allow your employees to focus on the most important tasks throughout the day. This is key, especially for bigger firms. You’ll also eliminate excess time searching for data since it’s all right there together in one place. Your profits will be optimized after taking this step.
Customer Billing
These days clients are looking for an alternative to traditional hourly billing by law firms. Clients want fixed pricing as well as some adjustments that are able to be made during a case or project. But the problem is making money with these new billing structures can be more complicated. Staffing and pricing can become more complicated and therefore clog up your system and daily routines. However, with BI you can spread each employees time out over several projects then you can also balance resources and needs to each specific case. You can spend time on the more expensive cases first and use the remaining resources on cases with fewer fees.
Predicting the Future
Predicting the future would be beneficial for all business lawyers, and with business intelligence your firm will be able to see trends and figure out clients needs faster which will make you more efficient and your clients happier.
Guide to Writing a Successful Law School Essay
In this guide, provided to us by academic experts from law essay writing service, you will find valuable and practical tips on how to write a stellar school essay in general Law. Law is a challenging subject and writing papers on it requires time and efforts. There is a point we should emphasize from the very beginning, before passing to discussing the tips on writing a high-quality essay. Law is very subjective, and if you need to express your opinion, be ready not to be fully understood by your teacher. You can receive an opinion-based mark for the opinion-based essay – it is not entirely fair, but it is life. We don’t want you to lie or conceal your thoughts, but at least try to find enough evidence in case you state something that is not commonly accepted. Fine, let’s move to characteristics which can make your Law essay shine to your professor’s eyes.
Write a Short Plan Before You Start
You are not supposed to write a long plan, state all the details of your future essay, etc. You are not dealing with a research proposal here. However, you should draft a short plan for yourself, the one you will follow when writing your Law essay. It is easy to forget something important when you are in a hurry, and students are generally in a hurry. It will be enough if you note down possible subheadings and keywords for each part.
Well-Organized Structure
Use the structure for Law essay given in your textbook and pay attention to the required formatting style manual. Don’t take into account online essay samples, because they might not comply by a structure with the requirements you have. Create structure while writing, don’t wait till the last moment to turn you messy draft into something decent. You can’t be sure you have enough time before the submission as something always piles up, and you are in a hurry, and you get worse mark than you could, due to some problems with subheadings, etc.
References Matter
When writing an essay on Law addressing authority in your reasoning is crucial. Finally, it is what lawyers do in court quoting cases, etc. When being assigned to write an essay, you should be ready to do much more reading than writing. Law is one of those disciplines, writing on which you can put in-text citation literally after every sentence, and it will be more than ok. Make sure to use only legit, valid academic sources and cite them properly. It will be beneficial if you use the latest cases for your essay. To be prepared, sign up for some legal newsletters, and save the most interesting cases to use later.
Accurate Application of the Law
Knowing Law and applying it is not the same. You should feel, understand which case, which rule can be applied to which situation. It comes with experience, but we recommend to ask yourself questions while writing: does it sound logical? Are there other options? Comparing those options, do I see the more logical one? You will make mistakes, but these questions will let you minimize them.
Proofreading Is Necessary
You can write the most impressive essay on Law and still receive a mark that won’t satisfy you because of technical omissions and small mistakes. Proofreading is necessary if you want to polish your paper efficiently. Read your final draft twice, read it aloud to detect and improve long sentences and awkward phrases, use online grammar checkers to identify minor omissions. If you have a friend, who can look through your paper, use his or her help, even if he or she is not experienced in Law.
Writing essays on Law requires experience, first of all, because you need to learn how to apply the law, not only state its rules. Unfortunately, you can’t start doing it immediately, from the first paper. If you want to receive some help in writing law papers, you can address a writing service or a tutor to assist you and show you tricks, or save your paper overnight. Choose the assistant thoroughly, check on recommendations and make sure to use the spare time reading — it is what most of the lawyers do all the time.
5 Best Places For A Legal Internship
Summertime is usually the best period for Law undergrads to engage in internship. As an undergrad, you may have understood the importance of getting a place where you can undertake your internship as well as the benefits of an internship. Presently you will have known that numerous attorneys in firms across the world started out as interns in those firms and rose through the ranks to become eventual Partners in some occasions. However, before you embark upon the task of choosing any of the five places this list will give, you should take note of the following key things.
First, you should choose a place where you will be given the opportunity to ask questions. The period of internship is the time to learn, to be groomed and also to observe the masters at their best. There is absolutely no reason why you should go for a place where your inquisitive nature will be stifled at all times. Secondly, you should choose a place where you can build a budding legal network that can sustain you for a very long time. The place of internship is an environment where you can meet up with attorneys who will be of professional help to you in your future practice. They are the ones who would introduce you to the right connections and also inspire you when you begin your practice in proper. This is the reason why you should carefully choose a vibrant place where you will network with goal-oriented attorney that will help you gain the right footing in the future as well. You can also go for a location where there would be time flexibility to engage in editing jobs online.
Having stated some key features that every law undergrad should look out for before making the leap, here are five of the best places you can intern for.
- Refugee Organizations– Admittedly, you should go for internship at a place where you hope to work for in the future, or a place that would teach you the groundwork of that aspect of law. This is the reason why Refugee organizations are the best if you wish to major in the area of law that deals with these issues. If you harbor a passion for nations to uphold Human Rights, and also for the safety of people who are experiencing devastating disasters in their countries, you can begin to tender your applications for internship at such bodies. At these organizations, you will learn, firsthand, the nature of Refugee laws as well as their applicability within real situations.
- Medical HealthCare Centers– If you are thinking of pursuing a career in Medical Related Law, you should tender your application to intern at Medical Centers that are hiring. Within this environment, you are able to build a budding network with medical care providers and also understand the prevailing issues that riddle the profession. While you are within this environment, you would need to be very observant as well in order to aid your chances of being retained in the future. An example of a place where you can undertake this internship is the Boston Medical HealthCare Center.
- Wildlife Organizations– There are numerous organizations that are fully dedicated towards fighting for the rights of animals as well as conservation of land resources. These organizations constantly seek for vibrant young interns who have the same passion and they are good grounds that can help you grow. An example of this kind of organization is the Defenders of Wildlife organization.
- Business Corporations– This is the venue for most internship as most undergrads desire future careers in business organizations that would bring in better pay in the future. If you wish to enmesh yourself in law sub-field such as Property Law, etc., these kinds of organizations are the best for you.
- Governmental Bodies- You could decide to engage in your internship within a government body like the National Resources Defense Council in order to learn and develop a dynamic network.
These are some of the best places where you can get your internship done and just like a college student always seeks dissertation assistance from the best, you should always look to get the best place for your internship.
How to Prepare for the LSAT – Law School Admissions Test
Preparing for the Law School Admissions Test can be a pretty daunting task, and preparing is more than half the battle. Below are some tips to make the challenge easier.
What Does LSAT Stand For?
LSAT stands for Law School Admission Test and it’s a standard part of the law school admission process required for aspiring law undergraduate students in the United States. In order to get into law school, you will need to complete a college undergraduate degree. However, your degree does not necessarily have to be related to law studies. Your undergraduate major can be philosophy, literature or anything else.
LSAT Prep Materials
One thing you’ll definitely need is the right LSAT test prep materials. Test preparation is always important and even more so when it comes to the Law School Admissions Text. The LSAT is administered by the Law School Admission Council or LSAC. When you take the LSAT you’ll be examined for reading comprehension, verbal and logical reasoning knowledge and competencies. Other parts of the law school admission process also include GPA, a personal statement, and letters of recommendation.
When Can You Take the LSAT?
You have four times a year to take the LSAT. You can take the test in February, June, September or October, and December. Early registration is recommended since there are a limited number of seats available for each day. It is also advised to take the exam as early as possible; just in case you need to retake the test. You’ll have time to do so. Another thing to remember is that if you happen to be more than 100 miles from a certified testing center. You can send a special request to the LSAC and take the test at a special site.
Important Things to Know About the LSAT
One more important thing to know is that you can only take the LSAT three times over a two-year period. The actual time allotted to take the test is three and a half hours. The testing fee is around $175. Depending on which law school you are applying to, the weight of your LSAT score will differ from school to school. But keep in mind that the majority of law schools in the U.S.impose a greater importance on your LSAT than your GPA.
Pro Tip: Getting assignments out the way with the help of an essay writer will leave more time to prepare for the admission test. You can work on the individual areas of the test and not have to worry about overdue coursework.
There are five parts to the LSAT.
- Reading Comprehension
- Analytical Reasoning
- Logical Reasoning
- Unscored Variable Section
- Essays
Reading Comprehension
- 27 questions-35 minutes
Analytical Reasoning
- 25 questions-35 minutes
Logical Reasoning
- 2 sections 25 questions each and 35 minutes each
Unscored Variable Section
- 35 minutes to finish
Essay Section
- 35 minutes to complete
You’ve made the important decision to attempt getting into law school and now it’s time to study. So remember to bear down and stay focused. The LSAT is one of the hardest tests you’ll ever take in your entire life. However, with a lot of sacrifices and focus you’ll be able to pass with flying colors.
How to Prepare for the State Bar Exam
Preparing for the state bar exam can be an incredibly daunting task. You’ve already worked so hard and studied so much to this point, and the state bar exam is the culmination of many years of hard work and sacrifice. You don’t want to mess it up.
You’ll want to pick the best place to study where you can have optimal concentration. You will also want to choose the best bar exam prep materials. Practice, practice, and more practice is the key. You’ll also want to verify your state’s rules and regulations for each test too. One thing you don’t want to do is take this time in your life lightly. You’ll want to leave no stone unturned while crossing all your t’s and dotting all your I’s.
Taking a bar prep course will give you confidence and present you with a schedule for your process. Being regimented with the way you study and practice will be of great benefit for you during the long haul to the state bar exam. Planning and outlining your study days and times is another great tool to help you succeed.
You should look online and find out exactly how the practical portion of your exam will be administered. This is fairly simple and won’t waste too much of your time. Make sure your study schedule includes every facet of the laws you need to know. Remember to also figure out all of the study modules too. Then, it’s prudent to calculate how much time you will be needing to answer each question. While doing this you’ll also want to add some cushion in your schedule for things that pop up. Such as getting sick or family occurrences and so on.
You should create outlines for each lesson and then make one-page outlines for each course so you can visualize them when writing the essays. You can also choose a study partner that you feel will help push you forward. Someone that will be reliable and astute. Also, someone that you may even learn something from is another thing to keep in mind.
If you were a good student through law school, you should continue to study the same exact way as you did for your school exams. It doesn’t matter which test prep courses you choose. Your previous knowledge along with a little exam preparation should get you through the exam. Remember you don’t have to get a high mark; you simply have to pass it. Many aspiring lawyers stress out too much over the bar exam. They feel they need to get every question right. However, this can be a little detrimental since it doesn’t allow you to relax and focus on the task at hand.
When you are ready, it’s time to take the test. Make sure you get a nice meal in your system and plenty of rest before it begins.
7 Reasons to Get Your Master’s in Legal Studies Online
Are you thinking of pursuing a Master’s in Legal Studies?
If you are, congratulations! You’re about to join an elite portion of the population.
Studies show that only 8% of Americans have a master’s degree.
Getting a master’s degree will help open more job opportunities. Your earning power will increase. In fact, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that you’ll be earning 21% more than the people with just a bachelor’s degree.
But we have a question for you: will you pursue your Masters in Legal Studies online or at a conventional law school?
If you are considering enrolling at a conventional University, you need to change your decision and study online instead. Why? Read on to find out why.
Flexibility
Online legal programs are designed for self-study and are usually personalized to fit your needs.
This makes them more flexible than conventional classroom studies.
If you choose an online program, therefore, you’ll be able to combine learning with work or other responsibilities.
You’ll also be able to learn at your own pace since there is no fixed timetable. If you have to work or take care of your kids during the day, you can study at night.
Online learning comes with features that allow you to record lessons, read at your convenient pace, and replay lessons when you are free and relaxed.
With these features, you can read and replay recorded lessons as much as you like.
This will help you get a deeper understanding and also refresh your memory, making it easy for you to do assignments and pass exams.
When pursuing legal studies online, you don’t have to worry about what time the library closes because you’ll have 24/7 access to your University’s online library.
Convenience
If you choose conventional classes, you’ll be forced to commute to and from school. This is waste of time, not to mention that it’ll make it difficult for you to focus on your family and work.
If you pursue legal studies online, however, everything will be happening on the browser on your computer. You don’t have to get into your car, fight traffic, drive or walk to school, and attend classes daily.
With online Master of Legal Studies programs, you’ll be able to learn from the comfort of your home or workplace.
This will help you concentrate on your studies and save time to work or engage in family activities.
Online students save as much as five to 10 hours a week in commuting time.
Reduced Costs
Getting a Master’s degree in Legal Studies online can be a more affordable option than enrolling in a conventional law school.
The online tuition fees are usually less than the conventional university fees.
But that’s not all.
With online classes, you’ll be able to avoid travel costs.
Interestingly enough, you can save money by buying pre-owned textbooks, as well as finding some of your learning materials that are available online for free.
There’s also no need to take student loans.
If you are trying to save money, pursuing a Master’s degree in Legal Studies online remains the best option.
Online learning ensures you spend your money on things that matter; it enables to be in control of your finances.
Interacting with Law Students from Around the World
In today’s world, you can’t call yourself an expert of law if you don’t have a basic understanding of international criminal law, comparative law, and other legal categories.
But let’s be honest; you cannot study comparative law in a conventional classroom.
You have to study other countries’ constitutional systems and interact with law experts from different countries and jurisdiction systems to gain a deep understanding of the law.
Online legal studies are more diverse than traditional programs. You’ll be able to interact with and learn from students from different parts of the world.
Think about the interesting discussions you can have with students from different countries and legal backgrounds. It’s fascinating, right?
If you decide to pursue legal studies online, you can be sure to gather new ideas and understand legal issues from different points of view.
Pursuing a master’s degree online will also allow you to build a strong and reliable global network of legal professionals.
You’ll become friends with like-minded people who will guide you, give you legal advice, or let know when a job opportunity pops up.
In simple terms, you end up getting more than you paid for when you study online.
Quality Education
There is a myth that conventional universities produce quality graduates than online programs.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Here is the truth: online learning institutions produce high-quality students than conventional institutions. This is because online tutors are able to give more attention to the individual needs of the students.
They never leave students alone in their studying environment, and this helps students understand hard topics and encourages them to study even more. This is something that you’ll never see in a traditional classroom setting.
Online programs offer more comfortable learning environment than conventional classes, making it easy for students to focus and understand even complicated legal concepts.
Also, online learning institutions have invested in highly trained tutors that offer high-quality education to students.
The tutors are friendly and always willing to assist you right from the first topic until you graduate.
You Can Pursue Masters in Legal Studies Online and Still Keep Your Job
Leaving your job to study is always a good idea. But let’s face it; we are living in tough economic times, and the rate of unemployment is increasing.
Once you leave your job to go and study, you’ll be replaced immediately, and there is no guarantee that your former boss will accept you back.
Pursuing an online Master’s in Legal Studies will let you keep your current job, which means you will be able to pay your bills and school fees as you study with no problems.
Take A Bold Step
If you’ve not had much experience with online learning, pursuing Masters in Legal Studies online may seem like a bad choice. But it’s not.
Online learning comes with many benefits, some of which we’ve discussed. You should embrace it. Take a bold step and enroll today.
Remember to visit our blog for more helpful legal-related posts.
Law School Essay Writing: 5 Online Sources to Help Law Students
Many law school students decide to continue their education at law schools, colleges, and universities. This is a very perspective sphere. Lawyers are in high demand everywhere in the world because laws regulate the relationships among physical persons. There are many ways people interact with one another and they definitely experience some problems with the law. Accordingly, a good lawyer will be demanded and his/her salary is always high.
Of course, students should write different essays on the law. These cannot be some subjective pieces of writing that dwell on the opinion of a writer. Every paper must be based on officially confirmed informative sources. It’s not always easy to find proper websites that offer the required data. We can help you with this important issue. We offer 5 great online sources where you will get law essay writing help for free. These sources were borrowed from experts at professional essay writing company considered to be one of the most reliable academic services on the custom writing market. Moreover, these sources are for free. Accordingly, you won’t have to pay anything at all.
Source #1
Guide to Law Online is a really trustworthy informative source because it is prepared by the Law Library of Congress Public Services Division. It is presented in a form of annotated guide and deals with available data on government and law peculiarities. You will be provided with exceptional links to trustworthy websites that contain only legal information. You’ll have a really rich choice. You can find data on:
- International issues;
- World nations;
- Federal, state, and territory laws of the U.S.A.
- Constitution links;
- Local law portals;
If you mess up some spheres, you can use a guide index. It provides a clear indexation of all existing terms and directions to find the necessary data fast.
All the links lead to full texts concerning laws, regulations and court decisions. You can also find the commentary of lawyers. Every source was tested before it was added to this website. You can fully trust every link. The website also warns that other website may change their addresses and thus, you may not find them. However, this happens rarely.
In addition, the website offers such menus as reports and recent researches in the law sphere, educational opportunities, news, events, and even possible job proposals.
Source #2
LawSource.com provides data on the law in the form of clear and helpful online links. These links are related to law sources in the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico. You can also find data on commentary and practice aids. All the links are offered for free.
Every user can find relevant and official introductions to the legal systems of three countries (the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico). You can find data state by state links. This means that you can find all the laws that work in every state or province of these countries. It is important because some laws differ depending on the location. For the comfort of users, you may select among three languages – English, French, and Spanish.
Source #3
Cornell Law Library’s Online Legal Resources offers official online links about different laws and court decisions. All the links are arranged by subject and it helps to orient through the website faster. You only should choose the required category. Every category is divided into subdivisions and offer relevant data on legitimate issues. You’ll receive access to federal regulations, statutes, treaties, agreements, case reports and something of the kind.
Mind that the resources are offered in alphabetical order. For example, if you choose the letter “A” you will find American Indian Law and/or Arbitration. “B” stands to Banking and Bankruptcy, etc.
Source #4
Free Legal Research Resources is a very helpful website for people who need dependable and free data on law and jurisprudence. This website may be a great start for students who don’t have access to paid databases. Besides, if you intend to use expensive databases you may save money and time if you review links offered on this platform. You can make a survey to identify what exactly is needed to complete your research.
The guide contains links to primary and secondary state law resources. You’ll find data about treaties, federal and international laws, state cases, regulations, empirical sources and so on.
In case, you experience some difficulties with orientation through the website use the live chat. There is an online librarian available in the chat box to answer all the questions.
Source #5
The Law School Toolbox is another helpful platform. However, it differs from the previous four options. It serves as a guide on how to make you’re citing correctly. Thus, you won’t violate someone’s rights. It offers the latest edition on the correct citation formats. You only should read attentively and follow the official instructions. That’s why we have decided to add this website to the list.
Moreover, the website contains five great tips on how to settle your quotations properly. There are the following tips:
- Know the audience. You should know who will read your research and compose it in accordance with their expectations.
- Find alternatives. If you find some alternative sources, you should use them.
- Use online sources intentionally. Implement web-based sources reasonably and in various ways.
- Bluebook them. Stick to the official guide on correct citing. You should use the latest 20th edition of the Bluebook.
- Use them sparingly. Use links correctly and make the text readable. For example, long links would make your text ugly. Use hyperlinks, as we did in this guide.
Try these resources and you’ll find the required data to accomplish your assignment.
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How to Get Loans for Law School
Congratulations! You’ve gotten into law school.
Now comes the hard part. Figuring out how to pay for school.
The average cost of tuition and fees at the top law schools is $60,293. That’s per year.
For many hopeful lawyers, the best solution for paying for law school is to get a loan.
But the average salary of a lawyer upon graduation is $68,300 for the private sector and $52,000 for the public sector. Between rent and the cost of living, it doesn’t leave a lot left over to pay for loans.
Which means that unless you plan on being in debt for a while, you have wealthy parents, or you just won the lottery, you should keep reading this to learn about the best loans for law school.
PLUS Loans
PLUS loans for law school are provided by the US Department of Education. They’re given to graduate students looking to supplement their educational expenses.
These are expenses that aren’t covered by scholarships or other types of financial aid.
To be eligible, you must have a good credit history and be enrolled at least half-time at an eligible law school.
Interest rates are at 7.9% and with this loan, students can borrow as much as the total cost of the attendance. That amount is determined by what law school they attend.
Discover Law Loans
Discover law loans for law school are private loans. Those who receive this loan receive a fixed interest rate between 6.79% and 7.89%.
Students are able to receive a lower interest rate if they qualify for the Auto Debit Reward program.
You are eligible for this program if you’re the borrower of the loan and you have at least one loan in Normal Repayment where full installment payments are due.
There are limitations, though and it’s subject to change.
To receive a Discover law loan, students must pass a credit check. Those not in good standing must provide a cosigner in order to get the loan.
Those who receive this loan must be enrolled at least half-time and they’re not required to pay back the loan while still in school.
Wells Fargo Student Loans
Wells Fargo provides loans for law school which are private but offer competitive interest rates. These are great loans for law school for several reasons.
It’s a loan that helps students pay not only for tuition, but for expenses like housing, textbooks, lab fees, and anything else that is related to their education.
What’s more, there are discounted interest rates available for eligible students. And there’s no expectation to pay back any of the loans until six months after graduation.
It’s also possible to have a cosigner added to the loan to help a student’s chance of being approved.
Federal Work-Study Programs
Federal work-study programs are found at most undergraduate and graduate schools.
It’s a program that provides funding to students attending classes full-time during at least part of the year and part-time during the rest of the year.
Students are allowed to work either on or off-campus in non-profit agencies in exchange for their loans. Paid employment cannot exceed more than twenty hours per week per ABA limits.
Income-Driven Repayment Plans
Upon graduation, these loans for law school offer a monthly payment plan. It’s based on totaling less than 10% of your family’s monthly income.
This is different from most other loans for law school in that it’s not based on the amount of the total debt you owe.
Income-driven repayment plans provide more opportunities for payment relief than many other types of private or institutional loans.
The staff in the financial aid department at your law school will determine how much you can borrow. It’s dependent on the cost of attendance at your school, any federal regulations within the state, and any other policies your educational institution may have.
Federal Perkins Loan
Federal Perkins loans for law school are available at many institutions, but not all.
How much a student receives is decided by the school and based on your financial information. The maximum amount that can be awarded to each student is $8,000.
These loans also have the potential for being included in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
However, while 7,500 people have applied this year, less than 1,000 are actually expected to qualify.
Private Loans for Law School
Private loans for law school are a great option for students who don’t qualify for any federal loans.
A private loan may be a better option for those seeking competitive interest rates. Private loans are also helpful to those post-graduates who are still looking for full-time work.
The terms of these loans for law school vary depending on the vendor. Make sure to look at the grace periods and repayment terms before you sign up for a private loan.
Also, keep in mind that while there is a $138,500 lifetime limit on federal direct loans for professional and graduate school students who are studying non-health-related fields, private loans have no limits.
Those law students looking for short-term loans based on their income should visit this website. These types of loans help you make small necessary purchases while you’re in school.
Federal Direct Stafford Loan
The Federal Direct Stafford loan is a Direct Unsubsidized Federal loan. With it, students can borrow up to $20,500.
There’s an interest rate of 6.8% and a 1% loan fee which starts as soon as the loan is distributed. Students are given a six-month grace period before they must start paying back the loan.
If a student requires it, there are forbearance and deferment options available.
Federal Direct (Unsubsidized Loans)
The US Department of Education let’s law schools borrow up to $20,500 from them every year.
But remember that these loans for law school aren’t subsidized. That means the interest on any money you borrow starts accruing immediately.
Interest rates were fixed at 5.31% in the 2016/2017 school year but are subject to change.
Those who are awarded this loan has a six-month grace period to find a job upon graduation before they’re required to begin repaying their loans.
The Difference Between Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
A direct subsidized loan is available to undergraduate students with financial needs. The school you attend determines the amount you’re allowed to borrow and the amount cannot exceed your financial needs.
The US Department of Education pays the interest on this type of loan as long as you’re in school at least half-time. They’ll also pay interest for the first six months after you leave school and during periods of deferment.
A direct unsubsidized loan is available to both undergraduate and graduate students. You do not need to demonstrate any financial need.
Again, your school determines how much money you can borrow but they’ll base it on your cost of attendance and any other financial aid you’re receiving.
With this type of loan, the US Department has nothing to do with it so you’re responsible for paying any and all interest at all times.
However, you can choose not to pay interest while you’re attending school, or during grace or deferment periods, your interest accrues. It will then be added to the loan’s principal amount.
Do Your Homework First
Loans for law school can get expensive. Many people have struggled to pay back their loans.
As you review your options, evaluate the interest rates available for each type of loan.
Government loans can often be more expensive than most people think.
Government loans are especially expensive when you hit your limits for federal direct loans and have to consider taking out a PLUS loan.
If you need to get a cosigner in order to get a loan, be aware that it’s their credit on the line. If you fail to pay, they’re fully obligated to pay it back in full. And they’re not even the ones benefiting from the education you’re receiving.
However, keep in mind that if you choose to opt for private loans for law school, you’ll be able to remove the cosigner at a later date.
Many private lenders are willing to release the cosigner once the primary borrower establishes a history of timely payments and has an established and reliable income.
Get Noticed After Graduation
After graduating from law school, the next parts are to pass the Bar and then find employment.
But with all the competition, you need to find a way to separate yourself from every other recent law graduate student. That’s where we can help.
Write for us and share your extensive knowledge of the law. If we accept your submission, we’ll post it within 24 hours.
We boast a higher domain authority than most other legal niche blogs and websites. It’s a great way to set yourself up as an expert in your field of choice.
We also offer you the ability to list yourself on our site. It’s a great way to establish yourself online and have potential clients and/or law firms find you.
The more quickly you establish a presence as a successful lawyer, the easier it will be to pay back those loans for law school.
Don’t wait. List yourself for free on our site today.
8 Secrets to Help You Get Into Law School
With an average lawyer’s salary hovering around $130,000 a year, choosing a career in the legal industry is a great investment in your future. The first step to a great career is getting into law school. With the right plan and some preparation, you can get into any school you want.
Choosing between schools needs to entail thinking about location, price, and reputation. When you first start your career, people will judge you based on the school you went to. If you go to a middle-tier school, you’ll save money and perhaps not have to travel, so it’s important to weigh your options.
If you’re wondering how to go about getting into law school, you should know that you have some preparation to do. Follow these 10 steps and you’ll be prepared for a bright future.
1. Load Up As An Undergrad
Taking a demanding courseload during your undergraduate studies shows prospective admissions staff that you work well under pressure. Think about the kinds of things that are covered in the LSAT and focus on a course load pointed in that direction.
Even if you don’t retain everything, gaining some familiarity with basic terms and concepts will make them easier to grasp when you encounter them later.
You should take courses that require you to read and write vigorously, as part of forming a case is building a strong argument based on facts. Taking a few philosophy courses can provide a foundation for thinking critically about social or cultural issues that arise in a law career. If you are interested in travel, make sure to check out a study abroad program offered by CEA.
Step outside the box of the humanities and social sciences to show admissions that you have broad intellectual interests.
2. Don’t Rely On Retakes
While you can retake the LSAT several times, taking it just once can streamline the process of applying and getting accepted. Take a few practice tests, get acquainted with the scoring system and try to prepare for every possible outcome.
Getting a strong score your first time should be the aim. Even though you can retake it and have your score go up a few points, it’s not always worth it. A few points can make a big difference, so get to know what range you should shoot for.
3. Create A Plan
With the application process, you’ll have several deadlines to meet. Every school will be slightly different but you should be prepared to apply for them all on the earliest due date.
If you need to have a resume, ask for letters of recommendation, or send in transcripts, have that process completed far in advance.
Asking your mentors to write letters of recommendation a week before the application is due can be inconvenient for them. Think about their time as well as yours when you’re interested in getting into law school.
4. Speaking Of Letters
By creating strong relationships with your professional colleagues and academic advisors, you will make it easy for them to write about you.
Don’t build relationships just for this purpose, but make sure they know who you are. A letter that talks about some of your personal qualities is much more effective than one focused on academic accomplishments found in your transcript.
5. Don’t Try To Play Every Position
Just because you can speak a little bit of Spanish or play a little bit of guitar, it shouldn’t go in your application. If you’re a better writer than a speaker, don’t try to show off your faulty speaking skills. Let your writing shine.
If you’ve had leadership positions in the past, let the admissions staff know through a well-written explanation. Focus on your strengths.6. Personal Statements Are About You
Don’t be that boring person at the party describing who you are by running through your resume. Use your personal statement to tell your story, why your approach is unique, or how your life was changed through an experience.
Admissions officers want to know something interesting about you.
6. Get Honest Feedback
Find someone who isn’t close to you to give you honest feedback on your application. If there’s a writing services center that you have access to, ask them to edit your writing and look for issues.
Find an editor who knows you well and can give you feedback on the content. Use a second editor, from a writing center or career services center, to look at your writing for technical issues.8. Don’t Procrastinate
Lots of programs will have x-number of spots and a rolling admissions policy. As soon as they get an application that fits what they’re looking for, they’ll fill that spot. While they have a posted deadline, there could be 3 spots and 500 applicants rushing for it.
Get your materials in order and submit as soon as possible.
7. Don’t Apply To Schools That Don’t Fit
If you’re interested in getting into law school for a particular type of law, go to the school with a program for that. The “top rated” schools don’t all have the best environmental law or sports law program that you’re looking for.
Read some law blogs to learn about different paths other lawyers have taken. For an example, click here.
Find a school that fits what you’re interested in and plan to be studying. It’s a waste of time, money, and energy to apply to a school just because you feel like you should.
8. Talk To Them
If you find a school that you want to be your number one choice, let them know. Even if they can’t offer you the best package, let them know you have a “targeted interest”. They’ll take this into consideration when looking at your application.
Getting Into Law School Requires Passion
If you’re excited about getting into a particular type of law, that can take you very far. In your personal statements, interviews, and conversations with admissions officers, your determination and honesty will show that you care.
Schools will appreciate your commitment to taking your future seriously and will reward you in return.
If you’re ready to start the process of finding the right path, contact us today for more tips and information.
