To become a wrongful termination attorney, most areas require that a person attend and graduate from law school and pass the bar exam. In addition to those basic steps, it may be helpful for someone who wants to become a wrongful termination attorney to take labor and employment law classes during law school. Although it is not mandatory to work during law school, it may be easier to find a job if a student has worked as a law clerk or legal intern for a firm that either represents workers whose employment has been terminated or employers.
Typically, the first step to become a wrongful termination attorney is to apply and receive admission to law school. In the United States, it usually is important to graduate from college, have a high grade point average, and even enclose several letters of recommendation from professors or other professionals who have worked closely with the student. In addition, most schools in the United States require students to take the law school admissions test (LSAT) before they can apply; depending on the caliber of law school, a variety of LSAT scores may be acceptable. Schools in Europe do not have such admissions tests, and many incorporate law school into an undergraduate-type program.
Once a student has been accepted into a law program, she typically will be required to take some basic law classes, such as criminal law, civil law, and property law. To become a wrongful termination attorney, it may be beneficial to take classes that pertain to wrongful termination, such as employment law, labor law, or worker’s compensation. In addition, participating in a mock trial competition may also give a student an edge to working as a wrongful termination attorney.
After graduation, the next step to become a wrongful termination attorney is to take the bar examination in the jurisdiction in which the student wants to practice law. This is primarily true in the United States, but the same holds true for many other countries, such as England, Brazil, and Hungary. As soon as the student passes the bar examination, she is licensed to practice law in that jurisdiction or area only.
One of the best ways to become a successful wrongful termination attorney is to find work in a law firm that specializes specifically in wrongful termination. It is best to work on both sides of the issue to gain a full understanding of what is encompassed in a wrongful termination case. For example, when working for a law firm that represents employees, it is possible to learn ways to prove the employer terminated unjustly. It is also possible to learn ways that the employees and their lawyers may try to manipulate the system in their favor. In the alternative, if working for a law firm that represents employers, it is possible to learn how the employer handles various situations that lead to employment termination, whether just or unjust.
