To become a corporate tax lawyer first requires a significant amount of education. In the US, it requires a four-year degree in any discipline and a doctoral degree from an accredited law school. Most countries, including the US, require some type or qualifying examination following graduation from law school in order to obtain a professional license to practice law.
Admission to law school does not require a Bachelor's degree in any particular area of study. However, if the goal is to become a corporate tax lawyer, undergraduate courses in business and business law are helpful. Grades are a very important factor in a law school’s admission decision. Another admissions factor in the US is the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), which is required for application to a law school.
Law school curriculums have certain required courses for all students. Legal research and writing courses are mandatory for all law students in the US. Law students are required to learn criminal law and procedure, torts, contract law, property law, and constitutional law. For someone who wants to become a corporate tax lawyer, there are courses in the law of corporations and tax law. Attending classes full time, it usually takes three years to complete a law degree.
During law school, there are many opportunities for internships and work-study jobs with corporations, many of which have in-house corporate tax lawyers. There are also opportunities in private law firms that specialize in corporate tax law. For someone who wants to become a corporate tax lawyer, law school libraries are a tremendous source for independent study in the area of corporate tax law. Many US law schools offer a master of laws degree (LLM) in tax law.
In the US, a law school student must apply for admission to the bar of the state in which she wishes to practice. The precise requirements for admission will vary from state to state. Generally, the applicant must ultimately graduate from law school, submit an “affidavit of character and fitness,” that must be approved by under the requirements of the particular jurisdiction, and achieve a passing score on the bar exam.
Depending on the jurisdiction, the bar exam may last two to three days. A passing score will vary with each jurisdiction. In addition to the bar exam, every jurisdiction requires that the applicant receive a passing score on a professional responsibility exam dealing with the ethical duties of attorneys and judges. Following the exams and certification of character and fitness to practice law, the applicant in sworn in as an attorney and receives her license to practice law.
