To become a litigation solicitor, an individual must complete the requirements for graduating from an accredited law school. After his or her formal education is finished, the next step may be writing qualifying examinations before being licensed as an attorney. In some jurisdictions, a future lawyer must complete a mandatory period of practical work experience and complete another course before being able to practice law.
Litigation lawyers can choose to focus their professional attention on civil or criminal litigation. An attorney working on civil litigation matters can further specialize in representing clients with different types of legal issues. For example, the solicitor may work on personal injury or product liability claims exclusively. Other people who have gone through the process to become a litigation solicitor work in the area of medical malpractice, disability or workers' compensation claims. A criminal lawyer can choose to represent the People, as a district attorney or a Crown prosecutor, or clients who have been accused of a crime.
The first step for an individual who wants to become a litigation solicitor in the United States is to complete an undergraduate degree. In Canada, a person who has successfully completed two years of a Bachelor's degree program may apply for admission to law school. An applicant is required to demonstrate his or her aptitude working in the legal profession by writing the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). The score achieved on the exam is one factor that is evaluated by the admissions committee of an accredited law school when choosing which individuals will be accepted to the program.
Completing law school will take three years in the United States and Canada. Students take courses on a number of legal topics, including criminal law, torts, property law and contracts. Constitutional law and legal writing are also included in the curriculum.
After graduating from law school, a person who wants to become a litigation solicitor in the United States would write the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) in most jurisdictions. This six-hour exam covers several legal topics. Depending on the state, a local bar admission exam may also be administered.
In Ontario, Canada a person who has completed law school and wants to become a litigation solicitor would have to work as an articling student for a law firm for 10 months before being eligible to take the bar admissions course and examinations. Along with these requirements, the prospective lawyer must also complete a Professional Responsibility and Practice course online before being able to be called to the bar.
