
Family attorneys, also known as family lawyers, advise clients and serve as representatives in the court of law in matters relating to marriage, divorce, custody, adoption, domestic abuse, and child support. Travel is required to meet with clients or to appear in court. Many of these professionals work long hours on a weekly basis.
Career Requirements
Step 1: Earn an Undergraduate Degree
Some students enroll in pre-law programs, but they're not required for admission into law school. Students planning to go to law school major in criminal justice or government. Admissions offices look for coursework in writing and logic as well as public speaking and government. Individuals interested in family law should take courses in psychology or sociology. Many students apply to law school while they're completing their undergraduate degree.
Step 2: Attend Law School
Most students earn their Juris Doctor (JD) in about three years when attending law school full-time. It's important to attend a school that's accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). During their first year, students take courses in civil procedure, criminal and civil law, contracts and property law, as well as constitutional law. Courses in criminal law, property rights, and constitutional law also relate to family law issues. Students also take courses in the legal process and writing for the law. In their second and third years, students have the opportunity to take advanced level courses in family law covering topics such as divorce, marriage, and adoption. Students also participate in mock court proceedings to gain courtroom experience.
Step 3: Get a Law License
Earning a law license is known as passing the bar. The bar is an exam administered by each state that tests knowledge of the law. Every lawyer, regardless of his or her practice specialty, has to pass the bar exam. Applicants must submit background information and proof of education to the state board of bar examiners. In addition, students have to take a series of tests over the course of two or three days. At a minimum, aspiring attorneys have to take the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) consisting of 200 multiple questions relating to areas of law covered in the first year of law school.