I know that to become a good lawyer you need to be able to have the ability to communicate well. I can communicate with people, but I wouldn't necessarily say that I am too good at it. Is there a way I can get better at this?
Also, my dream is to go to Stanford. I know it's kind of too much to hope for, but I have straight A's in school and I think I might have a chance.
I would really appreciate any advice that anyone could offer to me; I know I am a little too young but I think it is good to get a head start on things.I am 13 %26amp; want to become a lawyer. Is there any advice that you can give me that will help me in the future?
Nice that you're starting young. And you're right, communication skills are important.
Good grades are just a basic starting point. A lot of schools want to know that you're ';human.'; What do you do for recreation and volunteer work? Do you demonstrate an interest in the law with any activities?
Also, don't pick subjects based on what you think law schools are looking for (i.e. don't major in Pre-Law in college). Law schools will notice when you're just trying to do what you think will please them a lot of them won't appreciate that very much. They do want to see an active, clear, and original thinker. I recommend majoring in Philosophy.I am 13 %26amp; want to become a lawyer. Is there any advice that you can give me that will help me in the future?
You are 13 years old. I was still playing with dolls and dreaming of all sorts of careers. In my opinion you are reseaching way too soon, (have FUN...Play, Socialize with excellent kids, , This is your one and only life on Earth! work hard at things you truly enjoy!!!) but it is great that you are so curious and want to learn, just MAKE SURE YOU ARE DOING SO FOR YOURSELF AND NOT TO SATISFY ANYONE ELSE. I wanted to be a teacher at your age, then a vet at 15, then a teacher again at 17. I taught school for 25 years. Keep researching all your options for fun, GO FOR WHAT YOU ARE TRULY INTERESTED IN for your career. You will work for a huge part of your life and you are (trust me!!) going to want to LOVE WHAT YOU DO!!! Don't be a lawyer and go to STtanford just because it sounds good.
Good luck and best wishes....Have FUN!!
Study hard in school, you need to be able you can learn and learn quickly. Do some public speaking whenever you can, speak in front of peers, teachers, parents, etc. Get involved in the community, join a club or two. You want to be well rounded so get into a sport or two, academic club, and some community organization. This way you will understand different people and have lots of experiences. Perfect practice makes perfect so practice what you are weak at and get some feedback.
Talk to your parents, guidance councelor and teachers about your goals so they can help... visit the bar and lawyer websites... talk to folks... shadow a lawyer if allowed.
Best of luck.
Yeah they shouldnt be allowed to drop out because if they are feelin ';tired'; one day they can ';skip school'; then after they get too far behind.... they will drop out....and NO DREAM BIG!!!!!!!!!!
I heard this saying that goes....SHOOT FOR THE MOON.....if you dont get there you will land on one of the stars...... CLOSER THEN YOU WERE..... so yeah keep your goals.....
debate club
toastmasters (for public speaking)
paralegal certificate maybe to get some basic knowledge of law.
All the evidence is in his left shoe.
My advice- if you don't get into Stanford, your life isn't over. College is college, just get into one with a law program if the Ivy Leagues won't accept you.
Second- my boyfriend just told me about his friend who is a lawyer. His friend defended a child pronographer and got the scum bag off the charges. If you're going into law, you will be faced with not only getting the righteous what they deserve, but you might also have to defend criminals.
Here is something you may want to plan for now. With top notch schools like Stanford, it is very competitive to be accepted at the school. Straight A grades isn't enough to cut it anymore. The schools want to see a well rounded education and life outside of school. Not only will they want top grades, they will want to see what you do with yourself outside of the classroom with extra curricular activities. Participate in school sports, participate in school clubs, and especially important, participate in charitable causes. This was told to me by a friend, who both her and her husband are Stanford alumni, and her father was a professor at Stanford. Even with their ';legacy';, being alumni, their daughters are not guaranteed acceptance into the school without considering their grades and their extra curricular activities.
Pay attention in your English classes so that you learn how to write effectively. The ability to communicate via the written word is as important to an attorney as their speaking abilities. Certainly Stanford Law School is an excellent choice but there are many other choices that are available to you as well. Don't discount those before you start. And, most importantly...you have to get your undergraduate degree first! So you must maintain your focus and direction for the next 8 years. But remember, you can't ignore your social responsibilities either...many undergraduate schools want to see something more than just good grades.
Good for you! With this kind of ambition, I am sure you can be anything you want and go to a great school in order to get there. And you do NOT have to be outspoken to be a good lawyer. There are all types of lawyers--you don't have to be a trial lawyer, prosecutor, or criminal defender who rants and raves in court.
Here's the best advice for you, since you're so young: READ!! If you don't like to read, you may be in trouble because law school is all about reading and writing (and so is being a lawyer). Reading a lot helps you be a good writer because it expands your vocabulary and exposes you to great writers. You will need to ace the LSAT to get into Stanford, and it is based largely on reading/writing skills. You might even start taking practice LSAT exams now; they will be like second nature to you in 10 years when your future depends on it.
Secondly, just go to Stanford's website and read their admissions criteria. Then spend the next 5-10 years making sure you become their ideal candidate. You'll have to stand out--study abroad, learn another language, spend your summers doing internships that are related, volunteer, and be active in your community.
Good luck!!
Good for you for thinking of this now.
The only advice I'm qualified to give you is this:
ALWAYS be nice to your secretary and to all the other support staff members in whatever law firm you end up joining.
Don't lose touch with your feminine side. There are many female attorneys who seem to think they have to dress like men and act like men in order to get ahead. Not true, so don't do it! (That's probably a thing of the past anyway).
Don't sign up for Arrogance 101. This is a class many attys have attended, and it shows. Take a pass on that one!
As for your communication skills, it may depend somewhat on what area of law you decide to go into. You're probably thinking of litigation - I don't know that you need to be especially glib if you decide to work in intellectual property!
First and foremost you have to be a good student willing to sacrifice your free time for study. That's a tall order for most teenagers.
join debate, speech. but keep an open mind. something else might come along that interests u more. u might change ur mind numerous times before u settle on something.
I do agree with you that it's probably a bit too early to make a definite decision about the direction of your career. However, it also makes sense to develop broader skills that you might need for that and many other professions. My best friend is a lawyer, and from my observations you will do well if you:
a) work to improve your memory. In law school and after, you'll need to memorise innumerable statutes and cases. Buy memory tapes, read more etc
b) definitely work on your writing skills. On your bar exam, you'll need to write an essay, and it won't be easy.
you can do what they said, and also try having an internship at a law firm when you are older
Learn to lie very convincingly.And,Christina, Stanford is not an Ivy League school last time I checked.
13 is NOT too young. It's a good age to know what you want in life. Continue to pursue your dream and make sure that it is what you want, what you enjoy, and not what you're told you want. Make sense? There is a lot of reading involved in the law profession so develop a love of knowledge gained through reading. Join, or start, a debate team in your middle school and learn to argue persuasively. Brush up on your vocabulary skills and practice your inductive and deductive thinking by playing logic games which make up a large part of the LSAT. Make sure that, starting now, you become a well-rounded individual through high school and college so you can be that same well-rounded individual as a professional.
get good grades.
We'll boil this down into a simple checklist:
(1) Do as well as you can in school and get good grades.
(2) Stay out of trouble with the law.
(3) Be involved in your school and your local community -- that'll help you get into a good college like Stanford.
(4) Take as many writing courses as you can to improve your written communication skills.
(5) When you get into college, join your local Toastmasters organization to learn effective public speaking from people who have lots of experience.
(6) For your first four years in college, major in something that will help you do a job other than being a lawyer, just in case you find being a lawyer isn't for you -- I recommend management.
(7) Spend the money on one of those two-day seminars on how to prepare for the LSAT -- a lawyer I know tanked the first time he took it but did much better the second time around.
(8) Try to get work as a clerk at a law firm during your summer breaks -- that'll give you a REALLY good look at what working as a lawyer is like.
Pursue your dream, and best of luck!
First of all, to become a lawyer, it is common to get a 4 year undergraduate degree from an accredited university (or at least be working on your degree) before you apply to law school. Some common majors are political science, psychology, and criminal justice. It is in those four years of college that you will probably decide whether or not you want to pursue law. But don't be surprised if your career choices change a few times. In junior high, I wanted to be a radiologist. In high school, I wanted to be a therapist. And now, I want to be a teacher. Some people decide early what they want to do, and do it. Typically, however, people change their mind several times. Remember though, it's never too early to think about the future, and it's good that you are! It is true that for this field of study, you need very good communication skills, and depending on what type of law you plan on pursuing, very good public speaking skills. Most people, at some time or another, have a fear of public speaking. You are not alone! I still get queasy thinking about it. But it does get better in time, and the more you are exposed to it, the better it will get. Take any and all classes that allow you to practice speaking. Debate is a good class to take. Also participate in class discussions as much as possible to get used to it. Becoming an effective communicator takes time and practice, just like anything else. Once you get into college, get some experience in the field. Go volunteer or shadow at an office or firm. This is important, because depending on your major, your classes may not give you much insight into what the field of law is all about. Internships are also good. And lastly, one very important thing...if you have a dream, pursue it! Never think that it is unattainable. You will never know until you try. Stanford is very competitive, but work hard, and know that it is possible. Don't let go of your dreams. Best wishes and good luck to you!
You are never too young, make sure you take all your classes seriously. And this path requires sacrifice, its a lot of schooling for a big dream. Be proud and go for it
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