The first step taken to become an accident attorney should be researching the field to determine the best route for accomplishing individual goals. Education is the next step, which can take up to seven years. The educational process has several phases that need to be successfully completed before he or she may legally practice law in most jurisdictions. During the various educational phases, a student should seek part-time employment or an internship in a office that specializes in accident law in order to build experience before graduation.
A bachelor's degree is the first degree required, which is typically obtained at a four-year university and should be based on pre-law studies or have a heavy focus on business and law. Towards the end of the four year program, the student should begin preparing for the LSAT, which is given before entering law school. In order to become an accident attorney, he or she will have to finish law school, which may take two to four years. During the time in law school, specialty areas of accident law should be the focal point of his or her program.
The student will receive a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) once he or she has successfully completed all required coursework. Some students who aim to become an accident attorney choose to continue their education in order to achieve a Masters of Law (LLM) degree, which is a degree that focuses on very specific areas of the law. Internships are frequently advertised throughout the school year, and the student should seek an opportunity in an office that has a strong accident or accident related background.
Before practicing law, each student must take the local bar exam which covers the laws and guidelines in the region that he or she intends on working. Legal guidelines differ in most jurisdictions, and the final step to become an accident attorney is to completely familiarize him or herself with the local law. Experience is also key to finding gainful employment, and each student should take advantage of a law school's available resources such as internships, workshops, or seminars.
There are variations of accident law, and some people choose to practice them collectively or individually. The most common types are personal injury lawyer or car accident attorney. Once he or she has become an accident attorney, there are many options for what type of accident law he or she wishes to practice. Personal injury law primarily focuses on clients who have been injured in any way by another person or group, and hope to be compensated. Car accident attorneys specialize in representing people who have been injured in incidents involving vehicles, which also usually results in injury compensation.